Dragon Age Inquisition - Together Forever
by ogmios86
Summary: Leliana had been abandoned by her paramour. She doesn't know why. She joined the Inquisition to forget. Will she find in her heart a compassion to forgive her lost lover after his return? Is their love strong enough to overcome obstacles that separated them? MWarden x Leliana, C. Pentaghast, A. Trevelyan
1. PROLOGUE

Hello guys,

I am ogmios86 and TOGETHER FOREVER is my first story at all. I was so anxious for DAI that I decided to write my take on it concerning the reunion between our favourite bard and the Warden. Reasons for his disappearance mentioned at the end of DA2, redhead's reaction to it and much more you will find in this story.

I am planning circa 10 chapters for this story. This is not a canon but I badly wish this plot would be in DAI. This story should end on November 19th. I am sure you all know the reason why.:D

Please bear in mind that English is not my first language. I did my best though. If some generous soul is willing to be my corrector, please PM me. I have already written a few more chapters.

I posted two chapters together, other ones will be posted one by one.

BTW my Warden is non-canon Cousland. However you can chose whoever you want. They are interchangeable.

Thanks in advance for potential reviews.

Enjoy.

-ooo-

_**Redcliffe Castle, Mage - Templar Conflict, 9:41 Dragon**_

The Inquisitor and her small squad made a beeline for the gate of the main hall in Redcliffe Castle. After heavy fighting they were able to reach their destination - the HQ of mage Alexius.

This Tevinter Magister was in command of the Venatori, a cult worshipping the mortal enemy of the Inquisition named the Elder One. It seemed that Alexius controlled even demons from the Fade, at least partially, who fought alongside his troops.

Bulk of the forces located in the castle were deployed to face a small band of diverse characters. Against all odds the team was able to fight their way through the castle to their target. Though their progress did not come without cost.

Inquisitor Aria Trevelyan turned her head and sighed. On her left she was observing a skillful elven archer Sera who was limping slowly. Supporting her, with his hand locked on her left side, was a massive Qunari Iron Bull.

"What about that idea of tossing, Bull? Now, it's probably the only way I can cause some mayhem." Sera teased jovially despite the situation they were in.

"Told you." The mercenary replied with a straight face, his only eye never stopped scanning their surroundings for potential threats.

"However now it will cost you." He continued their little chat barely hidding his smirk behind a somber facade.

"Yeah? What do you want?" Sera couriously inquired.

"When we get out of here, you convince Varric that he should try it as well." Bull smugly replied. "And a few rounds of ale." He hastily added.

_These two act like children all the time. Why am I not surprised?_

Aria rolled her eyes and stopped listening their banter. She focused on her fellow mage Dorian who had been walking beside her in complete silence for some time. Despite being uninjured during their struggle through the building, he was running low on mana. Lyrium and health potions along with their other supplies were almost depleted. Additionally his mood was deteriorating fast after they had learned that their foe was Alexius. Her friend revealed that the Magister had been his mentor once.

"Are you all right? I know you cared for him." The Inquisitor silently whispered to an exTevinter mage next to her.

"Once he was a man to whom I compared all others." He responded unhappily. "Sad, isn't it?"

Before Aria could respond to his inquiry he continued. It seemed he made his mind about the issue. "Don't worry Lady Trevelyan, I will do what needs to be done. Personal matters are unimportant when we face extinction."

Unsure how to respond to his rather pessimistic view of the world they were in, she reached and slightly squeezed his arm hoping to show her support in his predicament. His small smile proved that her gesture was appreciated.

The Inquisitor knew that none of them were in a particularly good shape but who truly worried her was her new advisor in espionage.

Sister Nightingale had been recommended by Cassandra Pentaghast as an extremely capable spy master. There were flying wild rummors in the headquarters of the Inquisition in Haven about her past. Aria had heard such stories herself. About the involvement of a mentioned spy in many world changing events. The violent uprising in the Circle Tower in Val Royeaux, the destruction of Kirkwall or the killing of archdemon Urthemiel in the Fifth Blight were only small portions of them. The source had never confirmed them though. Sister was a very private person. Hardly anybody even knew her real name. The Inquisitor doubted that anyone beside Seeker Pentaghast knew a true identity of a mysterious woman.

The woman who right now, as pale as walls of the White Spire in Orlais, was slowly trailing behind their group. Iron Bull had managed to get her out of the cell in Radcliffe Castle. However weeks of torture left the spy master battered and weak. It was a testament of her will that she continued despite that.

_It was my damned fault._

Trevelyan bit her lip hard. She was the one who had sent Sister Nightingale to spy on situation in the west of Ferelden around Redcliffe. The Inquisitor assumed that in that area had been operating only token forces of the Venatori and instead of sending Commander Pentaghast with an army, she had sent the spy, who had been captured after the attempt to gather intel from the castle.

_I am lucky she was even alive when we got here._

While they were able to get to this point, she was aware that getting out of the castle would be another matter altogether. Even as they progressed through the castle they knew Alexius had sent for reinforcement. They had to get in, defeat the Magister, close the rift in the Fade and got out as quickly as possible.

-ooo-

In the main hall of Redcliffe Castle stood by the fireplace Alexius contemplating his past acts. Next to him was cowering a pathetic form of a man reminding more a ghoul than any human being.

The Inquisitor cleared her throat and put on a confident facade on her face that she wasn't quite feeling.

"Alexius, it's time to answer for your crimes." She stated icily.

Without turning around he answered. "And here you are. Finally. I knew you would appear again. Not that it would be now but I knew I hadn't destroyed you. My final failure."

Aria noticed Sister had diseappeared to the shadows using Master Stealth and was grateful for distraction Dorian provided.

"Was it worth it? Everything you did to the world, to yourself." The mage bitterly demanded.

Alexius, in almost resigned tone, said. "It doesn't matter now. All we can do is wait to the end."

"It does matter. I will undo it." The Inquisitor interjected confidently.

"How many times have I tried? Past cannot be undone. All that I fought for, all that I betrayed and what I have wrought. Ruin and death. There is nothing else. The Elder One comes for me, you, for us all." Tevinter Magister still continued in his monologue unaware that the master spy had been crawling the entire time behind the back of his companion.

She grabbed ghoul's arm and pointed one of her knives to his neck. Alexius panicked and Dorian realized in that moment that the person was in fact a son of Alexius - Felix. However everyone could see that he had been corrupted by dark magic.

"That's Felix? Maker's breath. Alexius, what have you done?" Dorian verbally attacked his former mentor.

Alexius whispered. "He would have died Dorian. I saved him." Then turned to Sister Nightingale pleading. "Please. Don't hurt my son. I will do anything you ask."

_We still need that artefact._

The Inquisitor jumped in. "Hand over the amulet and we let him go." She didn't miss narrow eyes of the Sister and dread settled in her stomach.

The Venatori leader caught that as well and quickly negotiated. "Let him go and I swear you get what you want."

"I want the world back." The rogue responded with a frosty glare that chilled air in the room. With simple move she quickly slit Felix's throat.

"Nooo!" Alexius growled and casted Stonefist knocking the master spy out of the view.

Everyone else prepared for the fight and engaged Dorian's old mentor. Despite his ability to summon demons from the Fade, he was soon overhelmed by combined efforts of the team. Sera ensured that her arrow was buried right in his heart.

Dorian knelt next to his ex-mentor searching for the artifact that was needed for closure of enormous rifts in the veil. He joined Lady Trevelyan after that.

"He wanted to die, didn't he? All those lies he told himself, the justifications. He lost Felix long ago. Didn't even notice." Dorian contemplated soberly.

"Doesn't matter. This is the same amulet he used before. I think it's the same one we made in Minrathous. That's a relief. Give me an hour to work out spell he used and I should be able to reopen rift." Mage explained.

The master spy interrupted him. "An hour? That's impossible. You must go now." Suddenly an entire castle began shaking violently. "The Elder One." Sister whispered.

Sera was frightened and mumbling something, Iron Bull took charge of a situation. "We will head up front. Keep them of your tail." With that being said he and Sera departed the room.

Orlesian nodded and instructed. "Cast your spell. You have as much time as I have arrows." Then she closed the gate and locked herself with a pair of mages inside the great hall.

Dorian was casting rapidly, emulating his old mentor's spell. Outside the locked doors were heard loud signs of a battle. Then only silence prevailed. Suddenly extremely powerful blows started hammering the creaking gate. The doors coudn't hold forever and were breached. Demons and the Venatori reinforcements were pouring through the hole in. The Inquisitor caught a sight of Sera and Iron Bull laying down on the floor where superiority of the enemy knocked them down.

Sister was praying quietly and preparing her dragonthorn bow. "Though darkness closes I am shielded by a flame." She was sending clouds of arrows to the thick line of enemies. "Andraste guide me, Maker take me to your side." Suddenly her praying was disturbed. An arrow shot her precisely to her right shoulder. She continued fighting with her bow in a melee combat but it was obvious she would be overhelmed soon.

The Inquisitor moved to help her, but was stopped by Dorian. "You move and we all die. You are connected to the spell. Without you we won't be able to close the rift here." Just in time the spell was completed and a huge rift hanging over Redcliffe Castle was collapsing into a vortex of the Fade.

Orlesian was overhelmed in that moment and restrained by Venatori soldier who was looking directly at the Inquisitor and taunting her. Aria was overpowered with a searing pain in her left hand as the rift interacted with a mark on her palm. She collapsed to her knees screaming in anguish. Dorian looked like he would fall as well after the creation of an extremely complex spell.

The situation was desperate. Surrounded by enemies with no way to escape.

-ooo-


	2. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE

_This is the end._

Leliana slowly closed her eyes. She didn't have many regrets. She had had a difficult life since the day she had been born but she was grateful for it. In that darkness she found a beam of light. All her struggles and troubles had brought the redhead to the most important person in her life.

Her soul mate, her dearest one, her love. This single person was worth all of her suffering. She thanked the Maker every day that he had brought them together.

Her lover had reached for her during the darkest time of her life offering his love and support. He had showed her that she hadn't had to be afraid of who she had been. And she had fallen for him. His love had given her strength and had reinforced her feelings to believe in herself.

_What did he says to me when I doubted myself and my beliefs for mistakes from my past? _

_**Our greatest glory is not in never failing,**_

_**but in rising up every time we fail. **_

She had taken his advice to her heart and strengthened herself to prepare for the inevitable. Leliana was silently praying to the Maker to meet her paramour in afterlife.

_I wish I could see you one more time. Just once._

Suddenly she was knocked down from behind and lost consciousness.

-ooo-

A hooded warrior hastily entered Redcliffe Castle through its main gate. With his loyal companion they were determined to locate a wanted person no matter the cost. A messenger was sent from the castle to the Venatori camp in order to bring help against invaders. Small part of battalion had already arrived to the castle and was engaged with attackers. The rest was heading to this destination right now. The only way to delay their progress was a barred gate.

The knight entered a room with a gate mechanism and lowered a grille which effectively barricaded the main entrance to the castle. He destroyed machinery and prevented anyone from using it again. It was accomplished with relative simplicity. No guards were stationed there. None expected that anyone would do something like that and effectively trapped themselves inside the castle.

_I wonder, what else should I do to improve my chances? _

The warrior smirked brazenly at an idea and proceeded with it. All that remained was to clear the path to his one and only objective.

-ooo-

The Inquisitor raised her head just in time seeing that Dorian collapsed to the ground. The Venatori soldiers had surrounded him and with his mana depleted he had only used his stave as stick in a melee. It hadn't been enough. With a hard blow to the head he had been knocked cold.

_Now, it is my turn._

All attention was on her now. She failed. With her death none would be able to close the rifts in the Fade and oppose the Elder One. She knew that while her companions would live for now as prisoners, she woudn't. The order was to kill her on sight. Alone and surrounded by demons and enemy troopers there was no hope. One of soldiers unsheated his sword and advanced on her. Stubbornly she rose her chin in one last act of defiance.

_Maker, lend my friends the strength to withstand such evil. _

Before an executioner could get any closer, something knocked the soldier holding the Sister to the ground. Both of them probably lapsed into unconsciousness. The Inquisitor's hope rose with a thought of incoming reinforcements but was quickly dashed when she realized that in a doorframe was standing only one man. One man and a dog.

_Not a dog. Mabari. _

_Doesn't matter. What can one man do against the room full of soldiers and demons? It's a suicide._

The answer came very quickly. The stranger, dressed in a massive black armor set with a painting of something resembling a demon on his chest,slowly drew his two heavily enchanted swords. His face was hidden behind heavily reinforced Standard Bearer's Helm but what truly captivated the Inquisitor were his eyes. They were glowing brightly and scanning the room his opponents were in. Lingering for a moment longer on an unmoving body of Sister Nightingale his eyes narrowed and changed their colour to a sinister red shade in anger. Turning back to his foes he slowly moved inside the room to engage them. Venatori archers tried to shoot him in order to stop his advance. Arrows were easily deflected from him.

_Probably enchantments in his armor. Or is he a mage?_

Terror demon dared to attack first attempting to grab the attacker, but the knight with dexterity Aria had never seen from someone wearing such a heavy armor, leapt to the side and with a bone-crushing punch to the face stroke the demon down, quickly finished him of with his azure-glowing sword that separated its head.

_How did he do that? _

Aria's jaw almost dropped to the floor. In the Inquisition and on her travels she had met some of probably the most powerful individuals in Thedas. Warriors, rogues, mages that wielded incredible powers, but this man… This man was something else entirely.

He continued his dance on the battlefield taking one enemy after another. They tried to surround him. He flied into a whirling dance of death, striking out enemies around him.

_A master swordsman with dual blades. Yet his agility indicates that he had training as rogue as well. Plus strength of that punch to the demon has been almost unnatural._

Meanwhile the warrior was slaughtering his way through the room in quick and precise strikes and movements. It was nothing compared to when he heard a faint sobbing in pain from laying Sister under the dead Venatori solder. It seemed that this sound sent him to frenzy. He resorted to the most brutal sword strikes performing Punisher Blow to soldiers, Unending Flurry to the last Shade demon and other vicious strikes that quickly thinned the enemy opposition. One of the last survivors realised that this fight was lost.

_Shit. He is trying to destroy the only chance of restoring an order and repairing the veil of the Fade. ME!_

Before Venatori could execute his plan, a giant beast tackled him down and ripped his throat to shreds. Aria realised that the massive mabari didn't join the battle alongside his master. She was so enthralled with a performance of the stranger that she completely forgot his companion.

_He ordered it to protect us. I haven´t seen it until now. It was hidding, waiting if anyone would move against us. Smart dog._

With last swing of his sword the warrior separated the head from the body of the Venatori lieutenant and silence spreaded across the room. Inquisitor was in awe. The full room of soldiers and demons was cleared in less than four minutes. The stranger was incredibly skilled. His agility, strength and prowess were unmatched to any person Aria had ever met. They were saved … for now.

-ooo-

Arcane Warrior was assessing a situation in haste. For now all enemies were eliminated but they needed to get out of the castle as soon as possible. He hoped that his precautions at the gate were still working.

_Unless they have a battering ram, I think we have some time. _

Legion slightly nuzzled his right leg and was rewarded with light stroking on his nape. That elicited a satisfied growl from his loyal companion.

_You did great, boy._

He looked at the only other conscious person in the room. She was battered and exhausted but otherwise looked uninjured. Before entering fray he had checked up on an unconscious qunari and an elf outside of the room. They had been drugged with sleeping gas. He had administered an antidote to them.

_They should wake up soon._

Seeing that a young noble woman was trying to revive a mage with a nasty gash on the crown of his head, he tossed her a health poultice and an injury kit. He noticed his stave and added a lyrium potion as well. She nodded gratefully.

Then he rushed to HER. Throwing violently the Venatori soldier who was laying on top of her away, he gasped. Her blood had been slowly soaking up to the ground for some time.

_Please no. Not her. Do not take her away from me._

He hurriedly casted mass rejuvenation on her lifeless body. It didn't work. Slowly he turned her around on her back and was stricken again. While none of her companions looked very well, Leliana was ashen like the Death itself.

He had no other choice. He withdrew a small pouch from a bracelet on his hand and poured its content into a health potion and quickly brought this mix to her lips forcing her to swallow a little of it.

He carefully extracted an arrow embedded in her shoulder and pressed a health poultice over her wound to sterilize it. Then he casted a healing spell that slowly knitted her flesh. Gently caressing her cheek he frowned worriedly. He placed his ear to her chest. Her breathing was shallow. Her heart was beating silently…almost to silently.

_She is more roughed up than I thought._

Lowering a hood, his scowl deepened. He could see on her neck and shoulders a lot of fresh marks of a knife that left deep and unhealed cuts on the fragile body in front of him.

_Venatori tortured her._

_I have arrived to late._

_I am sorry, my love._

Deeply concentrating he channeled all of healing energy he could muster to her injured body trying to fix and mend her many injuries. It worked but his beloved was still very weak.

-ooo-

After patching up Dorian, the Inquisitor was pleasantly surprised that Bull and Sera were shaking their dizziness and curiously inspecting conditions in the room, especially the man who was treating Sister Nightingale.

It was a surreal sight. Pile of corpses was covering almost an entire floor in the main hall and only one man was responsible for that deed. Their savior who now looked as if he wanted to continue in rampant annihilation he had ceased only minutes ago. The warrior was angry, all of them could tell, his frown was deepening while he was trying to revive the fallen Orlesian.

Her companions created a circle around her by the fireplace. They attempted to get together and assess the situation. They felt that the mysterious warrior wouldn't appreciate their interruption. The small band closed together and spoke in hushed tones.

"Who is that? And where are his troops? Did they secure a path out of the castle?" Bull silently inquired studying the black-armored warrior intensively.

The Inquisitor nervously fidgeted with her hands. "I don't know. He walked into the hall and slaughtered everything in his path."

Sera sharply demanded. "What? You are telling me that he alone massacred all the Venatori troops and demons in this area?" Looking at the Inquisitor incredulously as well as the others.

"Well, not entirely alone." She pointed a finger at the mabari that was now laying next to the unmoving body of the Sister sadly nuzzling her hand.

All her fellows were staring in disbelief as she continued. "He has an incredible strength, practically pulverized a head of demon. His deftness in massive armor matches best rogues I have ever met and I am pretty sure he is a powerful mage as well."

She softly added. " I have never seen anything like that."

"So…" Dorian continued. "If he came alone does it mean we have to still fight our way out of the castle?" While others observed their rescuer.

"He is right." Bull interjected."Though it's peculiar that reinforcements haven't yet arrived. We have already lost too much time." He mused thoughtfully.

Their little chat was halted after that. The enigmatic man carefully placed his hands under the body of the injured rogue and gently lifted her up. Instinctively she curled up to him feeling protected in his embrace. She looked so small and fragile in his arms.

Turning around, he headed out of the hall with his mabari in tow paying them no mind. Shocked by his complete dismissal they were unsure how to proceed until Iron Bull shook it off and gave a chase to the dark knight, the rest quickly followed. When they caught up with him, the knight was already at the end of a courtyard heading to the main gate.

The Inquisitor attempted to strike up a conversation with him but that didn't end well.

"Excuse me, my friend …" Before she could carry on, she received a death glare from the warrior.

And a short answer. "We are not friends." He answered in a deep authoritative voice and brisked up his pace while still delicately carrying a pale Orlesian girl.

Before anyone could raise an objection, he suddenly stopped at the beginning of a long passage and listened intently. Suddenly he commanded. "Legion!" His eyes connected with eyes of his mabari and it seemed they were communicating nonverbally. Then the hound suddenly broke an eye contact and was running to scout an area ahead of them.

Sera broke tense silence mumbling to herself, though everyone around heard her. "Do we even have some sort of plan? Or are we going to follow this guy around like lost puppies?"

An unknown man ironically responded. "You mean you had a plan in the first place?"

The Inquisitor snaped. "What is that suppose to mean?"

"I mean …" He was staring to the eyes of the Inquisitor making her really uncomfortable and forcing her to avert her gaze when his eyes started to glow again. He kept going in a harsh voice. "… did you make a threat assessment, identify locations of the Venatori troops, study their command structure, label their lieutenants , order their assassinations to cause chaos in their command, memorize a layout of Redcliffe and the castle, order your army to create a distraction and lure the enemy away from Redcliffe, plan to hinder and obstruct enemy reinforcements, design a way of a strategic retreat, or plan a manner and a location of extraction with needed equipment?"

The Inquisitor felt silent realizing that before her stood a seasoned veteran who really knew his way around warfare. She looked at the people around her as a realization hit them how inexperienced they really were. Even Iron Bull perceived that the leadership of a mercenary group versus the organization like the Inquisition were two entirely different things.

He sighted softly. "Didn't think so." Satisfied that he made his point the warrior pressed on. "There are two basic principles if you want or have to lead. First of all, you must study your opponent in a great detail, gather as much info and resources as you can, create a network of trusted advisors and specialists, delegate your powers to them, let them do their jobs, and than competently make decisions and plans based on first-rate information and advice provided by your allies." He paused and let that all sink.

"The second and the most crucial principle is about people working with you. You must show your trust in them. You must support them. You must own up your mistakes. And most importantly you must care about your fellows." He lectured.

"If they see you get the job done, if they feel your support, if they know you care about them, they will follow you to the Fade itself." He muttered sarcastically to himself. "Though that doesn't seem so difficult right now."

He addressed her sternly again. "You don't have to be perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. But when you do, get ready for the consequences. You must do absolutely your best to try and fix the damage or at least reduce it maximally."

He let her ponder his words for a few moments in silence.

With a frown on his face he chided her coldly. "What happened here today is unacceptable. You came here without any strategy, without any order how to proceed in hope that blind luck would help to reach your goal. You can see how well that turned out."

Not waiting for her response he continued. "Worst of all, you left suffering one of yours for mistakes you have made. She had to endure torture for weeks." His head inclined to a pale unconscious woman in his arms. "More mistakes, more lives lost. If you want trust and respect of people around, this careless attitude has to end. You may have not another chance." Once more, the Inquisitor was forced to avert her eyes when his own were glowing crimson red.

"What do you think would have happened if I haven't been here today?" He rhetorically asked and continued. "The only hope of repairing the veil of the Fade would be crushed and the Elder One would be left unopposed." Apparently done with his monologue he focused his attention on the woman in his arms pouring healing energy into her weak body.

After that the warrior turned his gaze to Sera, who visibly flinched, and replied. "To answer your original question. Unlike you I have an actual plan. Don't you think the rest of the Venatori battalion would have been here already?" He let them processed that.

Indifferently he added. " Follow me, or don't. I don't care. I have what I have come for." With that he ended the conversation for good.

-ooo-


	3. FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Hi,

clarification only: For me MWarden in this story is non-canon Cousland. On the other hand I tried to write this character as universal as I was able. So almost everybody can put his own character to this story.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Short one.

-ooo-

The Inquisitor and her companions were standing at the beginning of the passage in tense silence digesting harsh words a black-armored stranger had directed at them. He turned his attention to the tunnel ignoring them completely. The Inquisitor had first good look at him since they had met.

Roughly 30 years old, he was no less than 6' high. The frame of the man was muscular, it was apparent even with his massive armor on that he was in excellent shape. A chiselled face was covered with light stubble on his cheeks with perfectly trimmed beard. A sharp nose emphasized his commanding presence and a long scar on the left side of his forehead added a flavour of a dangerous look. His hairstyle was a short black tuft. Though it appeared as if it had been dyed because a silver colour bleeded through. However the most prominent features were his captivating deep brown eyes. They told a story about the man with experience beyond his years. The story of a great loss, struggling for survival, hardships, but also about strong friendships and an everlasting love.

_Scary and sexy. _

_If you are that type of person who likes a bad boy persona. _

Equipment of the stranger was in top-notch quality. A black armored set was forged from very rare and extremely expensive metal - volcanic aurum. Two wicked longswords were attached on his back. The bigger one had been obviously made from dragonbone and some unfamiliar azure-glowing metal, the sabre-like one from silverite was vibrating slightly in its sheath. From a knight's left boot sticked out a dragonbone-made dagger, unmistakably Orlesian - the blade of someone who knew or had known the Game.

And at last his loyal mabari that just returned and communicated mentally with his master once again. The intelligent war hounds exclusively bred in inhospitable and harsh land Ferelden.

_Who is this guy? The armor from some dwarf mastersmith. The sword from an unknown metal. The sabre with ability to cast spells. The dagger from Orlais. The mabari from Ferelden. All instruments in top quality enhanced with runes of the best Grandmasters in Thedas._

The respite was evidently over. The sullen warrior and his hound entered the passageway and headed to the main gate slightly jogging. It was an impressive feat on his part. Dressed in massive armor and carefully carrying an Orlesian redhead, he didn't show any signs of discomfort. The rest didn't have any other choice but follow.

After few minutes of running to their destination, they were hearing faint sounds of a battle, in all probability, near the gate. Immediately the atmosphere tensed but the knight accelerated his speed even more.

_It means we are to late. Fighting indicates that troops are already here. _

_Well, I am curious what we are going to do next._

Finally they reached their destination. The sight wasn't exactly what they had been expecting. The grille in the gate was lowered and behind it they saw the remainder of the Venatori battalion trying to climb ladders and overhelm the defenders of Radcliffe Castle. What made the situation unnatural was the fact that defenders on ramparts were also the Venatori soldiers guarding the entry to the castle.

Their de facto leader evaluated that situation dispassionately not in the least bothered by a bizarre view. From belt he took out a lyrium potion and handed it over to Dorian. "Drink." He instructed. "Then cast an Earthquake outside, righ alongside the ramparts." He added.

"You can't do that?" Dorian asked puzzled. After what had the Inquisitor told them about him, Dorian thought that he was a One Man Army.

"I can but I won't." Came his reply as he indicated to the woman in his arms.

Dorian grasped his meaning and nodded slowly drinking blue liquid from a flask. He lifted his stave and started whispering an enchantment formula.

The mysterious man turned to Sera and asked. "You are rogue, right?" When she nodded, he questioned. "Smoke bombs?" She nodded again and he explained her. "I and him."He pointed at Dorian. " We cast our spells and you throw enough smoke bombs that it will cloud the view through the grille, understood?"

"All right." Sera agreed. "Another tossing." She murmured dejectedly. Iron Bull playfully nudged her to ribs.

Arcane Warrior joined Dorian and closed his eyes in concentration to cast the complex spell outside, righ alongside ramparts.

The result was incredible. The spell from Tevinter shattered ladders of attackers and the Inferno that followed from the warrior ensured that Venatori would certainly be delayed with a siege of the castle. Sera quickly followed and smoke quickly covered the grille reducing visibility there to zero.

_I don_'_t get it. What is the plan? How this will help us to get out of the castle?_

The Inquisitor's musing was disrupted by gasp from Sera. The rogue blurted. "These Venatori protecting the walls of the fortress are dead."

They all turned their attention to undead soldiers trying to figure out from distance if Sera was right, but an authoritative voice stopped them in their tracks. "Of course they are. I used advanced reanimation on fallen soldiers. Than I warded them against all spells and commanded them to protect the walls. I destroyed the grill mechanism in the first place, to prevent anyone from entrance." The warrior stated as all of them stared at him in awe and disbelief.

"But the requirement of mana pool to cast such powerful spells and sustain them for so long must be enormous. No person has such reserve at their disposal." Tevinter mage protested.

"You are right. If you need to use the mana pool. Which I don't." The warrior retorted. "A disadvantage of torn veil of the Fade are demons pouring through to our world. However there is probably one unintended side effect of it. If you are powerful enough to handle a connection to the raw Fade, you can completely bypass your mana pool and tap beyond directly. I connected dead troops with it, I am sustaining them indefinitely and having them guard the gate with a low effort thanks to the rifts in the veil." He calmly explained to the Tevinter who stared at him like he saw Andraste herself.

The warrior stopped his conversation after that, turned and headed to the left side of the courtyard. Others were watching him in puzzlement, when he continued to the place that was surrounded with high walls all around. Their confusion turned to understanding when he touched a tiny brick in the Guerrin crest built in the walls of the castle revealing a fake door masterfully hidden there. His hound leaned on it with its forelegs and pushed.

_A secret exit from the castle. _

_Clever. Very clever. How did he know about that?_

_The Venatori won_'_t have any idea where we have disseapered._

The Inquisitor's team quickly followed and closed a hidden door behind them, effectively covered their escape. The path led them through a spacious cellar and around darkened dungeons. It seemed they were heading constantly downwards. Soon they passed through some kind of an out of order pit. After some time they were walking up again and felt a breath of fresh air from the way out ahead of them. They exited the passage and ended inside a round stone building.

_A windmill, perhaps? _

Outside the mill, the realization hit them. They appeared on cliffs next to the lake Calenhad nearby Redcliffe village. Across the lake, the castle towered above all.

Their guide quickly headed to a small grove next to the windmill and emerged a moment later leading a black horse with a small cart behind, where he had deposited an injured woman into comfy furs and covered her with a soft blanket.

_It seems he thought of everything, after all._

Immediately after that the warrior made for a road that runned outside of Redcliffe. The Inquisitor and her companions were trying to keep pace with speed he set. They were in rush to get out of a dangerous area as soon as possible. Luckily it appeared that the location of the main conflict was already behind them.

The Inquisitor summoned her courage and queried a black armored knight beside her. "Where are we heading?"

"Haven." Came a short answer.

"You know of Haven? Not many do." Aria noted puzzled.

"It is your temporary base of operations, isn't it? The stranger almost snorted in response. "And so much more." He added in an afterthought.

"Besides Haven is the nearest place from Redcliffe with at least some resemblance of stability. And she needs a proper medical care and the rest urgently." He pointed at an uncounscious woman laying at the cart.

"We should be there in two days."

-ooo-


	4. HAVEN

Hello,

next chapter on schedule.

Please write your opinion to review and provide me feedback.

Enjoy.

-ooo-

With sunset the Inquisitor and her team set up a camp in a small clearing under the mountains that housed Haven. The unknown man moved from them as far as he could afford in small opening tending a sleeping woman near his own fireplace.

The Inquisitor and her team gathered around their own in a silent conversation watching the stranger on the other side of the camp. He was delicately treating Sister Nightingale, slowly rubbing a balm into her wounds, refreshing her with water and potions in tiny sips, cleansing her face from dirt and channeling into her body a healing power of magic.

Sera whispered in a circle of companions around the fire. "I may not like his attitude but he was right. He had everything planned to the last detail and it worked smoothly."

Aria cleared her throat and spoke. "I agree. What he did in the HQ of the Venatori… He slaughtered his way through the room full of soldiers and demons without breaking a sweat. And what he did after that… It showed me that he masters an extensive knowledge of dual-weapon technique, four main schools of magic and own a mind of a military genius. And I think it is the surface only."

"Also his knowledge of the Fade and a manipulation with it is unparallel." Dorian chimed in.

"Hmm, it seems he is a basalit-an. Qunari would be unstoppable if someone like him was in charge of Ben-Hassrath." Iron Bull mused before added. "Or maybe govern as Arishok."

Even the Inquisitor with her limited knowledge of Qunari culture realized that Bull unintentionally gave the stranger the highest praise you could get from Qunari.

Iron Bull continued in contemplation. "Strong, skilled, scholarly, wise, authoritative and apperantly caring as well." He pointed with his head to the view of the stranger who was taking care of a pale woman lying on fur.

"Hot too." Sera teased.

"Yeah." Aria silently concured.

"Agreed." Dorian added.

Bull went on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "Also tight-lipped and reserved." He chuckled to himself. "Arishok it is. Oh, how Qunari would have loved him."

"Except his magic, you mean." Dorian dryly offered.

"Yeah, well nobody is perfect." The mercenary shrugged.

-ooo-

The Warden laid awake all night beside a makeshift bed where his beloved was resting. He had done his best but still she hadn't regained consciousness yet. She had lost a lot of blood and was very weak due to weeks of torture. He knew that she needed a proper healer care and a long rest that could be provided in the headquarters of the Inquisition in Haven.

_Hang on, my love. Soon you will have enough time to rest and recover in safety._

-ooo-

Late in the afternoon of the following day the Warden with Legion finally arrived to a yearned-for destination. They had left the rest of the group behind them as they had made haste to reach the village.

_The sooner, the better. _

Haven, where the veil of the Fade had been torn asunder and consequently had been repaired for the first time, was now a harbour of reborn Inquisition.

The Warden marched immediately to the entry of a derelict temple ruin where he knew the members of the Inquisition resided. It appeared the organization relied on secrecy because only two chevaliers from Orlais guarded the entryway.

"Don't move any closer. You don't have an authorization to be here. Turn around and be on your way." One of them shouted.

"I have every authorization to be here. And I need a healer." The Warden indicated to the woman in his arms. He progressed to the doorway before the same one stepped in his way.

"Halt. You won't find help here." That arrogant soldier replied.

His loyal mabari menacingly growled at him while the Warden hissed. "I don't have time for this shit. Get out of my way or face the consequences, you fool." Anger caused his eyes to glow once again.

The Chevalier quickly drawn his sword. "Maleficar, you will go no furt…" Before he could finish, an enormous Stonefist knocked him down uncouscious.

"Idiot." The Warden annoyingly spat. He calmly turned to the other and offered. "Sorry about that." And casted a spell Sleep that immediately worked.

He proceeded inside the temple with an intention to find at least one competent member of this institution who, he knew, was inside.

_So far I am not impressed. Not at all._

_Shit, now I sound like Sten._

The Warden was dryly pondering his situation while making his way through simply arranged rooms with chaotically moving people all around.

He could…

hear heated arguments over hundred different topics,

hear sounds of falling supllies from racks,

smell the reek of rotten food in a granary,

see corodded weapons in arsenal.

_This place is a mess. _

_No commanding structure. No order. No experts. No resources._

_And the Inquisitor is just some young airhead with a glowing hand._

_How Liliana could get along with them? Are things really that desperate?_

His contemplation ended when he spotted a room of the officer he was looking for. Silently looking through an open door, he caught a sight of a young woman hunched over the table studying countless reports.

The Warden cuddled sleeping Leliana closer to his chest, stepped into the room and cleared his throat.

-ooo-

Nevarran Seeker was having a bad day.

_More likely a bad month at least._

At first an enormous explosion in Haven had torn asunder the veil of the Fade, effectively breaking up peace talks between the Mages and the Chantry and killing thousands of people in process. The only one who had survived the blast had been the Inquisitor herself, a young noble woman from the Free Marches, now apparently with a power to close rifts in the veil.

_Inquisitor or not, she is not experienced. _

_And it has consequences._

Nevarran beauty was mulling over this matter. Without considering all accessible information from reliable sources and thorough planning, the Inquisitor had rushed her decisions on several occasions that had led to dire losses.

The last of them had been sending Leliana, a spy master of the Inquisition, to Redcliffe. Rumors had been flying that in Redcliffe castle had taken refuge the Champion of Kirkwall. Without any scouting and information gathering Orlesian redhead had been sent, despite her protests, with hope to convince Hawke to join the Inquisition.

Soon enough they had learned it had been trap of Venatori leader Alexius to lure the Inquisitor there. And so Leliana had been captured. Cassandra had been at that time in Orlais trying to convince her fellow Seekers to join the Inquisition.

Upon her return, she had found out that the Inquisitor had headed to Redcliffe two weeks later after Leliana had been captured. The Seeker had wanted to send a small infiltration team in and create a diversion near Redcliffe with bulk of an army. Then she had learnt that Redcliffe area was occupied by an entire Venatori battalion. The Seeker had ordered the army to try and lure the Venatori out of the castle to some petty conflicts and give a chance to the Inquisitor.

_Naive and headlong. No plan. No strategy. _

The news from Redcliffe didn't sound too promising. Now, the Seeker didn't have the Advisor nor the Inquisitor. Scouts were continuously reporting that forces of Tevinter Magister Alexius were in control of surroundings of the castle and nobody had escaped from the castle itself.

_Damn you, Trevelyan._

_I see why the Divine wanted in charge of this organization the Champion of Kirkwall or the Hero of Ferelden._

_According to info Leliana provided about him it is safe to assume that we would have run very different operation now._

On top of that, the Inquisition itself was on the verge of collapse. After the tragedy in Haven they had placed their temporary base of operations in the temple ruin in the mountains above the village.

Practically without allies, short of money, no resources, no supplies. They barely scraped along.

_No order. No allocation of tasks. No unity. Just chaos._

The Inquisition was no match for the Elder One at its current status. Cassandra tiredly rubbed her eyes as pessimistic thoughts were flooding her mind.

_I am so tired. Struggle after struggle._

She was disturbed when someone entered the room and coughed slightly. Not bothering to turn around she dejectedly asked. "Yes?"

A stranger paused slightly before addressed her in a deep enchanting voice. "Lady Pentaghast?"

Nevarran frowned deeply, she hated when people called her so. She had left that life long ago. Now she was simply Seeker Cassandra. But something in the way the man had said Cassandra's name put her at ease and soothed her frazzled nerves.

"It is me. What can I do for yo…" She immediately stopped when she turned around and took in a sight in front of her.

A handsome man in a black armor stood before her, in his arms he was carrying a red-haired woman curled tightly to him. Her eyes widened when she realized that it was Leliana.

A heavily armed stranger politely implored. "She needs a healer care and rest. She was tortured and lost a lot of blood."

Cassandra quickly shook off her stupor. "Yes, of course. Please follow me." She was leading them briskly to the part of the temple through the main hall where a makeshift infirmary had been placed in one of smaller rooms.

"Vivienne." Cassandra called attracting healer's attention while heading towards her.

"What do you wish of me, Cassandra?" The healer with heavy orlesian accent questioned when they got to her. The Seeker turned her head to the dark knight and introduced her quickly. "This is Madame de Fer. She was the best healer in the Circle of Montsimmard and much more."

"A pleasure." The stranger politely nodded.

Vivienne corteously nodded turning her attention to an injured woman in his arms and gasped. "Is that Sister Nightingale? What happened to her? Never mind. Put her over there."

He carefully put the sleeping woman to the bed. However when he wanted to straighten up, she still kept her arms tightly wrapped around his neck unwilling to let go of him. Only when the mysterious man gently caressed her fair cheeks with his strong hands, she relaxed and allowed him to extricate from her embrace.

Cassandra raised her eyebrow in puzzlement at that display of affection and turned questioningly to Vivienne. The Enchanter just shrugged and went treating her new patient while the man was describing every one of her injuries thoroughly and a provisional treatment he had provided.

After half an hour Madame de Fer was finally satisfied with results of her work. "Sister should make a full recovery. You have done an excellent job of treating her. There wasn't much I had to do." Vivienne told the man who simply nodded in acknowledgement. "With herbs I used she will be in induced coma for at least next day in order to accelerate her healing process." She indicated to a small apartment next to the infirmary. "Take her to my room. I don't use it and from here I can oversee her recovery. When she wakes up, it will be in familiar environment." She softly added.

The Seeker and the man with Leliana in his arms proceeded with her suggestion and headed to the room. They put an Orlesian beauty to the bed and let her rest and recover from that ordeal she had went through. Duo silently exited the room so that they wouldn't disturb the sleeping redhead.

-ooo-


	5. THE SEEKER

Hello,

next chapter is out. We are roughly in the middle of this story.

Thank you in advance for your potential opinions and ideas in reviews.

I appreciate it when you take your time and leave me a message.

Enjoy yourself.

-ooo-

Sitting at a large oak table in her office, Cassandra was observing silently her company seated on the other side of the table. Certainly an attractive man who on one hand radiated a sense of security and amiability but on the other a danger and a warning to not cross him. It was accentuated with his looks and equipment which he was wearing. His striking eyes bored into Seeker's demanding obedience and respect but also alluring her to lose herself in his gaze.

She nervously poured him her favourite Nevarran drink which she stored for special occasions. She had a strong feeling that this would be one of them. The stranger took a couple of small sips and silently murmured in approval. "Hmmm. Nothing tastes as good as Nevarran mead. Maybe just Antivan brandy."

Cassandra blinked in surprise. While in her country it was a favourite beverage amongst the high society, it was largely unknown in Thedas as whole due its extremely rare and exotic ingrediences.

Her musing was interrupted when he initiated a conversation. "Lady Pentaghast." He began.

"Cassandra is fine." She cut in.

"Very well, Lady Cassandra." He responded.

The Seeker's jaw almost dropped to the floor. He coudn't be so dense, could he? It took almost her entire willpower to not roll her eyes at his antics when she caught a barely visible smirk on his face.

"I should probably inform you that your lea …" His sentence was cut off with a loud banging on the door of the office they were in. A moment later one of the chevaliers burst in.

"Commander Pentaghast, we have an unauthorized entry in the headquarters. An intruder knocked guar …" He immediately stopped when he realized that the intruder was seated comfortably in the office of their military leader.

That seated guest sarcastically remarked. "As I said to your guards at the gate. Sorry about that."

Cassandra stiffled her laught at the stunned face of the lieutenant and added calmly. "It's all right. Get back to your post."

The chevalier saluted and quickly departed leaving them alone once again.

The man calmly continued. "As I was mentioning before the interruption, I assume your spy master was not the only person you were missing, am I right?"

Cassandra simply nodded, wondering how did he know about that.

He continued as if he was able to read her mind. "I was in Redcliffe. I got the Inquisitor out of the castle. They should be arriving soon."

Cassandra sat in her chair stunned.

_He was able to get to and out of the castle in Redcliffe? _

_With injured Leliana and the entire Inquisitor's team? Without anyone could see them? _

_He has done what our entire army wasn't able._

"I presume that that young noble lady is the only one with the power to close the rifts in the veil?" Cassandra nodded and he continued. "When I got there she was surrounded and injured waiting to be executed."

Cassandra nodded in understanding and explained. "Well I was in Orlais at that time. When I got back I found out what happened. Aria Trevelyan is an inexperienced leader. She made a mistake that caused the capture of Leliana. She felt guilty and after two weeks of brooding she decided to fix it."

"Wait a second, you are telling me that she left Leliana to rot in that torture chamber in Redcliffe for two weeks and even after that much time she headed to the castle without any strategy or any plan?" The warrior frowned even more as his opinion of this so-called Inquisitor plummeted even more.

"Pretty much." The Seeker silently confirmed.

"Doesn't she realize that this is not a game? When I got to Leliana, she was dying. More her mistakes, more lost lives." The warrior huffed angrily. He raised his eyes and focused on Nevarran Seeker.

"Cassandra, you have to take control. She is no leader. Not yet. You must lecture and guide her to become one. There is no other way. Otherwise this entire business will end very badly." He kindly explained."Today, she was so close to lose her life and lives of her companions. The Venatori orders are to kill her on sight. What would happen then? No other has her ability to repair the veil. Thedas would be lost." He firmly implored. "Look around yourself. This organization is right now a mess with no power to oppose anyone, least of all the Elder One. It takes a strong leadership to achieve a success and a power to restore the order in Thedas. Think about it."

"Now if you excuse me, I am heading back to the infirmary." He announced.

Cassandra absent-mindedly nodded seriously contemplating his words. Not even realizing she hadn't asked to whom she owed a great service.

-ooo-

Later that day when it was getting dark, the Inquisitor and her team finally appeared at the doorway of the temple. The stranger had left them earlier that day in the forest. Bloodied and battered they made their way to the infirmary where had been already waiting furious Commander Pentaghast demanding to explain their actions. They soon realized that she had been informed in general about situation in Redcliffe.

After she sufficiently scolded them, she alerted a healer to treat their injuries. After that the Seeker sent them to their rooms to recover. The group lowered heads and obeyed immediately. Irritated Cassandra rubbed her eyes in frustration.

_What have I done to deserve this? _

Already in the infirmary, she decided to check up on Leliana. She silently opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks.

Next to the bed, where Leliana was sleeping, was seated the Inquisitor's rescuer. He was tenderly looking at an unconscious woman, gently caressing her hair and softly whispering something to her ear. He was already out of his armor, dressed only in a body-fitting short-sleeved black shirt and pants. Nevertheless it didn't detract his impressive appearance.

What surprised Cassandra was a huge hound huddled under the bed of a pacient regarding her with his predatory gaze. She nervously switched her stare back to his master.

What truly attracted her attention was a bracelet on his left wrist. Shining slightly at night, surely, the bracelet had been constructed from vulcanic aurum that formed a basic circle. Around that circle, a glowing lyrium was weaved and inscribed into it. The outcome was a goldenly-shining magnificent bracelet with a practical protection thanks to enchantments. A text was engraved around it in block letters.

Cassandra wasn't sure but she remembered that Leliana had a very similar one as well. Few years ago she had cought Leliana on a balcony of the cathedral in Val Royeux. Her Orlesian friend had been staring on the horizon absentmindedly stroking her own bracelet. When she had been asked, she had responded that it had been a gift from her dear lost friend.

Nevarran shook her head and slowly closed the door. Already, she had enough troubles on her mind. She needed time to rest before tomorrow.

-ooo-

Early in the morning of the next day Seeker Pentaghast requested a presence of the team that had returned from Redcliffe and their rescuer in the war room. The knight sent a message that he would be a little late.

The team depicted all they knew about the situation in Redcliffe, relayed all the details they had learnt about the Venatori, but above all about their savior.

The group praised his prowess, wisdom and a strategic mind. The Seeker almost didn't want to believe it all, but if even usually reserved Iron Bull claimed that that man would be a perfect Arishok, she accepted it as a fact.

Sera in her usual tongue-in-cheek tone teased. "Hey, you weren't singing all these commendations when he was pissed off."

"What do you mean?" Cassandra curiously asked.

"When he learnt of the situation and how long Sister Nightingale had been held and tortured there, he almost tore Aria to shreds." Sera emphasized.

"Basically he told us that he had everything what he had come for and for all he cared, we could go to the Fade." The Inquisitor quietly chimed in still ashamed of herself.

_Contrary to my meeting with him where he acted so kindly and gracefully._

_He was obviously furious, but why?_

"And what was that?" The Seeker queried.

"Pardon?" The Inquisitor blinked in confusion.

"What was that he came for? Did he take something from the castle?" Nevarran clarified.

"I don't think so. He was the one carrying Sister Nightingale all the way. He couldn't take anything else." Bull cut in.

Cassandra's mind was whirling in order to process this new information.

_He didn_'_t take anything because he had already had what he had wanted._

The Seeker started her monologue.

"Maybe that is the point. He had her."

_So he came for Leliana. _

"He had to know the Guerrins. Someone highly ranked to know about the exit from the castle. Arl perhaps? Bann?"

_He knows a secret way from the castle._

"And he knew a way to Haven to our headquarters."

_So he knows his way around Ferelden. Plus that enormous example of mabari. _

"I am sure Sister Nightingale knew him as well."

_She was curled to him like she was in the safest place in the world. Unwilling to part with him even unconscious._

"There are signs indicating that they were close."

_At first I thought that her bracelet was only a gift. But she has never taken it off._

_Why has he got one so similar?_

_Unless… Unless they are the engagement or the wedding bracelets?! _

"That he was someone she lost in past."

_Her dear lost friend? Or love?_

With that last thought Cassandra ended her rumination.

However that final idea got stuck in her mind.

_Could it be that he is …? No, it is ridiculous._

She was interrupted by Dorian. "Yes, it would make a perfect sense why he was so exasperated when he saw her."

"Now I understand his feelings. The woman he cares about was dying on the floor due to mistakes of another." Aria gloomily whispered rapidly blinking to hold back her tears.

"Yeah." Even usually cheerful Sera agreed.

Their contemplation was disrupted when the man in question entered and assumed a position in the head of a great oak table next to Nevarran.

"Lady Cassandra, you wanted to discuss something?" He amiably inquired in an unusually subdued room and turned to the mentioned Seeker.

"Yes. First of all I would like to thank you in the name of al…" She stopped when he shook his head and replied. "There is no need. I am sure you have much more important things to do." Then it seemed he reconsidered his previous statement and mischievously added with a charming smile. "Though I would not be opposed to the idea including a few glasses of a delicious Nevarran mead in good company."

The people in the room looked at Nevarran Seeker incredulously when they saw her cheeks reddened slightly. They had never seen anyone who could make her flustered and least of all make her blush. She quickly cleared her throat and replied. "I think we can arrange something." Her guest simply gave her a small smile and nodded.

"So what would you like to talk about?" He simply asked.

Cassandra managed to compose herself slightly. "You proved that you are an incredibly competent man." She still fought her blush. "Would you be willing to join us and help the Inquisition?" She offered as all around were anxiously waiting for his answer.

His frown foretold nothing positive. "I am sorry, the answer is no. It is not my priority."

The Seeker countered softly. "I know, Sister Nightingale is." She was studying him closely. She saw what she had been expecting. A corner of his left eye twitched slightly.

_So I was right after all._

Nevarran continued carefully, realizing she was one step away from a potentially hostile reaction. "Look, it will take some time before a full recovery of Sister Nightingale. Would you be willing to help us until then?" She implored. "We need a help. I really need your help." She softly whispered last sentence so only he could hear it.

That caught his attention as he studied her face thoroughly. He apparently made up his mind and replied. "Very well. For now I will help you, but on my terms."

Cassandra nodded. "Thank you. Let's hear it then."

He explained. "First. I lead, the others follow. I require an input from my coworkers but in the end I am the one making decisions."

"Second. You!" He shouted and pointed his index finger on Aria who almost huddled physically behind the table from his stern gaze. "You must learn and fast or the innocents will die."

"I didn't chose this. I have never wanted this." Aria whispered shakily.

"Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing." Came a curt reply from the man at the head of the table. "Do you accept my terms?" He turned to Cassandra.

The Seeker nodded resolutely as well the others including the Inquisitor.

"Then let's not waste any more time."

-ooo-


	6. A NEW BEGINNING

Hi,

JFYI, this chapter digresses slightly from Warden/Leliana centred previous ones.

This one is more like an public introduction of the Warden in Haven to the Inquisition.

Don't worry, it's only this one chapter.

I am going to release next chapter on Sunday, perhaps on Monday.

In that chapter will be long awaited reunion. Yay.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter and feel free to leave a message in reviews.

-ooo-

Nevarran beauty was waiting in tense anticipation with the entire staff of the Inquisition in Haven in the largest room of the temple - the main hall. She hoped that her intuition hadn't been wrong and the man, whom they had chosen, was as capable in administration of the organization as he was on the battlefield.

The tension in the hall was steadily rising. Displeased voices were heard across the room. Sounds silenced immediately when the knight in a massive dark armor stepped through the door and was striding confidently through the crowd to the pedestal in the middle of the room.

He climbed on top and sternly regarded his audience. His steel voice demanded attention from all in the room. "We know why we are here. What we are against. What we are supposed to do. I won't repeat that." He stopped and paused for a moment.

He locked his eyes with the Seeker and continued. "The real question we have to ask ourselves is HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT?" He raised his deep voice to emphasize his point. "That, I can tell you."

He was slowly walking around the podium looking down at his spectators. "A wise woman once told me an old proverb." He paused and added jokingly. "And no, it was not my mother-in-law." Eliciting chuckles from his viewers before continued.

"_If there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm."_

He seriously carried on. "And that is our manual how to proceed. We must strengthen ourselves and our organization. We must present a united front to our enemy." He let it sink.

"And to achieve our goal, we need order. I had scrolls with instructions nailed to the doors in the temple. There is a list of meetings that our council is going to have with each mentioned group in these papers." An approving murmur was heard.

"You will be divided by your professions to groups no greater than five persons each. Those five will choose one that will represent them on our meetings. Once a year every member of that given profession will vote their Master. Master will get the seat at the High Council and represent his guild in matters of strategic importance there." He slowed his explanation.

"Every group will have a speciffic task. Some tasks may require a cooperation of several groups together, but each one of them will be supervised." He pressed on.

"Our meetings are going to take place once a week on Monday. We are expecting ideas, solutions, suggestions from representatives related to their assigned tasks. Specifications of particular tasks will be discussed during our fist meetings. And on Sunday everybody gets a free day to relax." He eased the atmosphere and earned a terrific applaus.

"The situation, we are in, is difficult. Don't let me fool you." He seriously kept going. "However it brought us together as allies and friends. Look around you, you are not in this fight alone." He made a short pause.

"We will fight because some things are worth fighting for. We will fight and we will win our future. Future for ourselves and our children." He passionately shouted and slowly went down from the stage to the excited audience. The crowd was electrified by him.

The Inquisitor slowly turned to the Seeker and uttered in astonishment. "Wow. It was rather a speech from a final battle." And Cassandra could only agree.

_Wow indeed._

-ooo-

So never ending series of meetings started. The new leader insisted that through all of their sessions two others would be present beside him - the Seeker and the Inquisitor.

Stewards, clerks, herbalists, smiths, merchants, peasants, workers and many more went in and out of the war room pleading their cases. They were given tasks and offered consulting, then escorted and left to their work.

It was difficult at first but the wheels had been set in motion.

The only exception of a new established order were mages, soldiers and spies. Soldiers were already operating in small units and spies were working independently. Mages were primarily focused on healing and support.

"What is status of your troops, Corporal Rosslin?" The new leader initiated a talk with a current head of Inquisition military forces.

"Ready for your orders, my l.. ehm." Corporal stuttered.

"What's the matter?" The knight questioned.

"I am not sure how should I adress you?" Rosslin stated uncomfortably.

The Nevarran Seeker and the Inquisitor looked curiously at their nameless leader as he tilted his head at the question. Both had been wondering who their mysterious benefactor was as well. At this point the Seeker had already formed some idea in her mind.

Their leader was studying an uneasy soldier in front of him for a moment before he inquired. "How do you adress Lady Cassandra?"

Corporal stated. "Commander Pentaghast."

Eyes of the man at the head of the table glazed for a moment as if remembering something before he approvingly nodded and remarked. "It will be sufficent."

Rosslin saluted. "Understood, Commander."

"I have special tasks for your troops, Corporal." Commander continued. "Firstly you divide your soldiers into five divisons by their skills. Units will be Guards, Soldiers, Scouts, Sappers and Lectors." He paused and Rosslin nodded in response.

He sank his eyes into the man in front of them and pushed ahead. "Guards will secure and patrol a nearby area around Haven. Part of Soldiers, divided in units, will escort convoys of carts with supplies on the roads with at least one of Scouts per each convoy. The rest of Soldiers will form small mobile strike groups to perform hit-and-run attacks. Scouts will scout in Ferelden to gather information and warnings of an immediate attack. Sappers will procure equipment for the army and provide its maintenance. Lectors will start to teach militia and any volunteers to fight. Details will be specified lately." With that the Commander turned to look at Cassandra who approvingly nodded while the Inquisitor had been trying to get to know as much knowledge as possible.

"Any questions, Corporal? No? Then you are dismissed." Corporal saluted and briskly walked away to carry out his orders.

"Now, Miss Harding, we have much to discuss regarding our intelligence network, no?" The Commander turned to a young dwarf lady who vigorously bobbed her head.

"How many agents do you have in field? How many can we use now?" The de facto leader curiously inquired.

"Commander, I have to point out that right now we are stretched too thin. After the tragedy in Haven we lost a majority of our spies there." She composed herself. "I have twenty agents on various tasks right now and ten at your disposal."

With sympathy for her plight he softly questioned. "May I have a look at those tasks later?" She politely nodded and gave him a slight smile.

The Commander proceeded questioningly. "It caught my attention that we don't have many horses to support needs of our intelligence?"

She nodded. "Yes, we are short of money right now and horses in Ferelden are high-priced. There are few of them in the village but we can't afford them."

He nodded in understanding and grabbed a small pouch on his belt and tossed it to her. Though surprised she managed to catch it. Inside were dozens of sovereigns. She looked curiously at him when he remarked. "It should be enough. The rest use at your discretion to strenghten our intelligence."

He changed a topic. "What is your assessment of the situation? How should we proceed in gathering our allies?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment before suggested. "I think we should secure our allies in Ferelden first. Then we wouldn't have to fight on two front lines. Ferelden is a natural fortress surrounded by mountains. Any invasion would have to come from the Waking Sea or through the only ground passage in High Mountains from Orlais. Both are easily defensible."

"My thoughts exactly. I see you are not just very pretty." He earned incredulous looks from a pair of ladies next to him while a young dwarf girl was blushing violently.

_Does he flirt with every pretty woman he meets? _

He continued with a soft smile directed at the young woman in front of him. "For now I need your agents as messengers. After delivery of my messages they will return to their original posts. Is it acceptable, my lady?"

She nodded avoiding his gaze shyly.

"Very well. The messages are here." He opened a small bag on the table and extracted sealed letters with a symbol of the Inqusition on them.

The Seeker and the Inquisitor looked at each other in confusion. They have no knowledge of the existence of these letters or contents it included.

The Commander continued undisturbed as he slowly laid one letter after another on the table in front of him. Eyes of a pair next to him widened as he named their destinations.

**First**

…_to the King Allistair Theirin with an offer of a partnership between Ferelden and the Inquisition_…

**Second**

…_to Denerim Bank with a request to open a credit account in the name of the Inquisition…_

**Third**

…_to Master Wade of Denerim with a request to purchase his services as a master smith…_

**Fourth**

…_to Teyrn of Highever with a request to purchase long-live food from their granaries… _

**Fifth**

…_to Nathaniel Howe of Amaranthine with a request to lend a unit of silver knights to bolster our forces…_

**Sixth **

…_to Mikhail Dryden with a request to send a catalogue of his made armors and weapons…_

**Seventh**

…_to Keeper Lanaya of Dalish with a request to purchase herbs from the woods…_

**Eight**

…_to the King Bhelen Aeducan with an offer of a partnership between Orzammar and the Inquisition and a request to purchase lyrium from the dwarven mines… _

"It should be sufficent for now." He stated to the audience that stared at him wide-eyed, now including agent Harding when she saw to whom was addressed the last letter.

She shook off her shock and spoke. "It should be simple enough to deliver. I don't think it will be so easy to convince them, though. We don't have any authority here nor any respect."

"Don't worry. They will co-operate." He declared with such certainty that she didn't doubt it.

"That is not all, though. I have a special assignment for you. You have to locate a new base for the Inquisition."

"What? Why?" The Inquisitor queried while the Seeker looked thoughtful.

"It is simple enough. This location is not secure, not defensible, and especially not strategically placed to wage a war against the Elder One." He responded prudently to the Inquisitor and turned to agent Harding.

"In short I need a place similar to Redcliffe Castle. Placed somewhere on the border between Orlais and Nevarra. The place with sturdy walls, easily defensible, maybe in the mountains with an easy access to the Imperial Highway. The temple in Haven will stay an auxiliary base. After we will secure our allies in Ferelden, we will have to move on. I don't expect a palace but it must meet demands I named you."

"Don't concern yourself with the cost. I am prepared to invest thousands of sovereigns into it. " He commented while Harding's eyes almost popped out of her head. She wasn't the only one.

"That is all for today." He rose from his seat. "Ladies. Have a pleasant evening." With a small bow he excused himself leaving perplexed women behind.

-ooo-


	7. REUNION

Hello everybody,

to address some concerns I got from PM and reviews. It is true, that I have a soft spot for Leliana and especially the Warden.

However, it is not my intention to underrate the Inquisitor. In this story I reflected words of Mike Laidlaw from DAI Gameplay Series.

He mentioned something like "when you send Leliana in Redcliffe alone, she is tortured and it will damage your relationship."

Thus with this choice, the Inquisitor makes a mistake.

Some of you who have been reading between the lines realized, that I am not trying to replace the Inquisitor for the Warden.

Rather I am trying to point out a difference between his vast experience and contacts and her relative callowness.

However it is in more like mentor/student relationship. It seems natural to me that she would want his assistance and counselling.

Ultimately the Warden wants to help her to improve her skills and to succeed in her quest. Not lead again.

You will see. That I promise.

This chapter is a short one. I was a bit lazy.

Enjoy and please leave a review.

-ooo-

The Warden was tiredly trudging through the halls of the temple to his destination. He expected some sort of plea from Nevarran beauty when she spoke to him.

_Leliana has always said that my willingness to help the others, no matter how poor or insignificant they may be, was one of the reasons she has fallen in love with me._

_Cassandra approached me with the only attitude I wouldn_'_t refuse._

_She was honest and overwhelmed with problems._

Even then he didn't want to do it. Then Leliana appeared in his thoughts. What she had sacrificed, what she had been through to help this organization and suddenly the answer was evident.

Furthermore, Cassandra Pentaghast was a good friend of his love. She was in an impossible situation dealing with dire losses the Inquisition had taken. At least he would help her.

He didn't want to lead the organization but when he saw the state of emergency in Haven he resolutely stepped in.

_I will do as much as I can in time I will spend here._

He shook his head and decided that he had enough of that for today. He would spend his free time with the most important person.

The Warden nodded in greetings to Vivienne and silently opened the door to her room. He spotted his loyal mabari Legion that was guarding a resting Leliana on the bed.

-ooo-

Before Leliana lost consciousness, after she was knocked out in Redcliffe Castle, she had been preparing for the meeting with the Maker.

She didn't regret that she served his cause and put her life for it. Her only remorse was that she wouldn't see her dearest one again.

Darkness enveloped her and she was falling to the void…

…but it was not the end.

She felt a soothing presence.

She felt safe and protected.

She felt a beam of light that compeled the darkness to crawl back in to the shadows.

She felt like she was already in Heaven.

After unspecifically long time she perceived that strong yet tender hands were lifting her and holding her in a warm embrace. She subconsciously wrapped hers around that presence sensing its love for her.

That presence was carrying her for a long time before it laid her down to a small comfortable spot.

The presence was leaving her alone. She was so scared. She wanted it to come back. She felt soft caressing that soothed and relaxed her.

Suddenly her perception was misted by a veil of lethargy and Leliana felt no more.

-ooo-

Leliana felt so tired. She didn't know what had happened, what had changed. Distantly she smelled a scent of a dog. It brought back a happy reminiscence from the past. When she had been feeling for the fist time in her life that she had had home and family. The past long lost now.

_Wait… A scent of a wet dog?_

With that she gasped and woke up. She found herself in the bed in a tiny room designed in the latest Orlesian style. She lift her blanket realizing she was naked and her torso was bandaged.

_What the hell is going on?_

She squirmed a little and was startled when she felt a moist muzzle which softly smelled and nudged her. Leliana looked to the left and gasped. It was her favourite mabari. Legion.

_It would mean that HE is here._

_No, I must be dreaming. _

_The Maker is punishing me for my sins. He is showing me what I desire the most._

_It is my purgatory._

Her rumination was interrupted when Legion happily licked her hand and someone silently opened the door and entered in. She saw an unclear silhouette on the edge of her peripheral vision and held her breath.

The silhouette stopped at her bed and was smiling down at Leliana. Her tears were flowing freely down her cheeks in happiness.

_It is him._

The Warden leaned to her ear and whispered lovingly. "Don't worry, my love. Everything will be all right. I will never leave my little bird again."

Before she could question him, he lightly caressed her right cheek and assured her. "You must rest. I will be here when you wake up. I promise." He carefully kissed her nose. "And I always keep my promises." He poured into her weak body a healing energy and casted a Sleep spell.

She was in complete bliss and slowly drifted to her sleep.

-ooo-

Leliana woke up to the sight of her Warden who was slightly caressing her left hand while Vivienne was checking up her injuries.

"She should feel dizzy for few days otherwise she is out of the worst." Orlesian healer whispered to the man next to her unaware that the patient was up.

"I appreciate it, Lady Vivienne." A deep soft voice thanked her.

"It was nothing. You did all the hard work. It would end very badly, if you didn't." The Enchanter sang to the man next to her.

With that she said her goodbye and left to treat her other patients. When the Warden turned to the bed he realized that a striking pair of azure eyes was studying him intently.

"Hey beautiful." He greeted her as he had always done.

"Hey handsome." She whispered playing along.

Leliana attempted to lift herself up from the bed but he reached and stopped her.

"Lily, you must rest, you have been through a lot." He silently spoke while gently caressing her hair.

The nickname, he had given to her when they had decided to start their relationship years ago, brought tears to her eyes once again.

"Don't cry. Please, don't cry." He was soothingly rubbing her hand in his.

"Why?" She asked in tears.

He immediately knew what her question was.

"I had to. I had no other choice." He replied.

"You left without any explanation." She was getting angry.

"Yes. I had no other choice." He smiled sadly.

"Why not?" She frowned.

"I… I will explain later, I promise. But you must rest." He gestured to the bed.

"No, I want answers and I want them now." She hissed at him.

He studied her for a moment before nodded and softly spoke. "Ok, but first I must make proper arrangements for it. I am going to put you to sleep to accelerate healing. When I return, I will wake you up, allright?"

"Allright." She whispered and turned her eyes away from him.

"Lily." He caught her glance once more while delicately stroking her left cheek. "I love you. Don't doubt that. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

She blinked back her tears and simply nodded slowly drifting off.

-ooo-

Leliana awoke hearing a faint sound in her room. Her Warden was turned to the table preparing something there what she couldn't see.

The soft whine from Legion interrupted the Warden's concentration and he turned to the bed realizing that its occupant just woke up. He slowly approached her and asked. "How are you feeling?"

She hoarsely responded. "Better."

He nodded and brought to her lips a small flask with red liquid in it. "This should help to restore your health."

Leliana drank in small sips a potent health potion, he had specially mixed for her, with a flavour of her favourite Orlesian gin and after that a small amount of water to irrigate herself. She was feeling much better after that.

He delicately wrapped redhead up in a premium fur and carefully lifted her up to his arms carrying her out of the room followed by his loyal hound. She instinctively hugged her arms around his neck eliciting faint glow in brown eyes.

The Warden was carrying her through the halls of the temple while she was curiously observing circumstances around her. She slightly furrowed her brow.

_What happened here?_

Before she had been sent on the mission to Redcliffe, she had been really disenchanted with the situation in the Inquisition.

_I felt only misery, sadness and despair._

However when she was looking around now,she could see and feel an evident transformation.

_Order._

_Sense of purpose._

_Unity._

_Determination._

_And above all … HOPE?_

Her reflection ended when they entered the war room. He headed to a massive armchair that had been obviously placed behind the enormous oak table in haste. The armchair was padded with soft cushions and he gently placed her there covering her with an azure quilt. The Warden sat to a chair next to hers.

"You wanted to know why I had to leave. I am going to interpret my actions and I hope that you will find in your heart kindness to forgive me." He reached to her hand and slightly rubbed her palm with his thumb. She didn't reject his gesture and gave him a soft squeeze encouraging him to continue. He softly smiled and calmly began his story.

-ooo-


	8. EXPLANATION

Hello,

in this chapter, you will learn reason behind the Warden's disappearance.

Don't worry. When I was writting this, I got some new ideas. So, I am planning to expand this story to circa 13 chapters.

Warning! :D Another major character will appear in this chapter.

Enjoy your reading. Always appreciate reviews.

-ooo-

"It all started in 9:36 Dragon, barely six months before your departure to Kirkwall. I received a letter from the First Warden. I was summoned to the Anderfels for an unknown purpose."

"I was not interested in heeding his bidding. Finally we were together and I wanted to savour every moment, I have, with you. So I sent a message with refusal."

He stopped and turned to Legion and slightly tilted his head to the door. The mabari disappeared quickly through the door. Leliana raised her eyebrow inquisitively but the Warden ignored it and continued.

"In the winter of that year I received a warning from the Grand Enchanter Fiona about the First Warden. She had learnt from an old friend about dark rumours that surrounded the head of Wardens. He allegedly had been attempting to usurp a power in the Kingdom of Orthlands and had been using dark powers to achieve it. Fiona had also learnt that his focus had been aimed at me as well."

"And she was right. In Nubulis of 9:37 Dragon I received unwelcome guests in Val Royeux. The squad of Wardens. When I refused to follow them, they threatened me. They knew abou us. They knew about you. Where you were. What you were doing. That they couldn't guarantee your safety. So I was forced to travel with them." The Warden bitterly remarked.

Leliana was listening to the story, her lover was telling, in dread. She had already dismissed her anger. In fact, that anger had been replaced by love when she had realized that he had sacrificed everything for her safety.

He sighed. "When we arrived in Weisshaupt Fortress I was thrown to a spherical chamber with sturdy walls and iron bars with inscribed runes in its walls. You see, a perfectly unbreachable prison."

He was interrupted when Legion with the Seeker and the Inquisitor in tow walked inside. The Warden bade them to sit down to the table.

"Lady Cassandra, Inquisitor, I am glad you decided to accept my invitation to join us here." He politely began.

"Of course, Commander." The Seeker courteously replied while the Inquisitor just politely nodded.

Leliana was very curious about addressing Cassandra used for her lover, but was interrupted when the Warden turned to her and spoke loud enough that everybody in room could hear it. "What I told you so far was personal. However they must know the remainder of this story. It is vitally important that two leading members of the Inquisition have this knowledge as well." She gave him a small smile and nodded while warmly stroking his right hand in hers which didn't escape a notice of two women before them.

"You must give me your word that whatever you will learn here remains undisclosed." He announced looking at the women in question.

"You have my word." Cassandra made a vow.

"And mine as well, Comander." Aria added.

Satisfied he nodded and resumed his tale. "I don't know how long they were holding me there, perhaps a year or more. But then I met him. The First Warden. Despite my suppressed magical power I felt a powerful dark presence in him that was tugging at my mind constantly. My suspicion was confirmed when he started his monologue. Essentially, he needed a host with a great magical power and a taint in veins. Who is better than me? One of the most powerful mages in generations. In addition to that, the potential possession of my body held a certain symbolism for that entity. However I realized that much later." He reflected deep in thought. Leliana nodded possibly drawing similar conclusion from his words while two women stared in confusion.

The Inquisitor asked thoughtfully. "Why did they leave you in a cell for a year?"

He wasn't able to supress a wince, Leliana quickly grasped its meaning and softly inquired. "You were tortured."

"Supposedly, I was receiving a treatment to make me more biddable to the idea of that entity." He air-quoted.

Three women around him fell silent not sure what to say. He continued grimly. "All it takes is one slip. One slip and your mind is forever lost."

He shook it off. "There are things much more powerful than that misery. You can lose yourself in happy memories of your loved ones during such painful times. The memory of someone so special to you that it forced you to not give up, to not break." He looked timidly at Leliana whose cheeks flushed slightly at his confession.

He returned back to the tale. "Intensity of their treatment was increasing in the following weeks after its visit. This entity was probably becoming conscious of the fact that it wouldn't be able to penetrate my mind and take control of my body. Its visits became less and less frequent until stopped completely."

He smiled humorlessly. "I thought it abandoned the attempts of my possession and would kill me. Well, I was wrong. After I returned from a torture chamber one day, I found in a prison cell a new captive. And it wasn't just someone. I shared my cell with … Garrett Hawke."

"What?" Cassandra sharply demanded. "You were held with the Champion of Kirkwall?"

"Indeed." The Warden slightly smiled at her incredulous expression and couldn't resist teasing her a little. "You know, I hoped that next week I would meet the Champion of Orlais as well but I wasn't that lucky. Damn shame. I heard, she is quite a looker."

Right away, cheeks of the Seeker turned crimson red while the Inquisitor was trying to stifle her laugh mostly unsucessfuly. Leliana softly squeezed his hand to get him back on the track.

He got the message and continued in more serious tone. "It was no coincidence that he was there with me. Not at all."

"In 9:31 Dragon, Garrett Hawke was attacked in his family mansion in Kirkwall by carta that demanded for some unknown reason his blood. He drived them off and through his friend Varric was able to trace them to Vinmark Mountains in the Free Marches." He paused for a moment.

"Hawke learnt that in the underground of Vinmark Mountains had been built a massive prison by Wardens during the First Blight. He encountered ex-Warden Commander Larius on his Calling who explained that this enormous prison was keeping an ancient darkspawn imprisoned. The darkspawn that was able to emulate behavior of the Old God and lured to its song darkspawn and wardens alike through taint. Hawke also found out that his father Malcom had reinforced that derelict collapsing prison with magic using his own blood. For it had been the only brand of magic strong enough to keep this darkspawn in."Commander let it sank.

"Only Hawke could open seals of the prison and destroyed this darkspawn. The blood of his father had guaranteed it. In short, Hawke and his team managed to do it and at the end they triumphed. What was truly remarkable was what they had learnt from this creature." He stated.

"This creature named Corypheus was apparently an ancient Tevinter Magister who had entered the Golden City and returned as the first of the darkspawn." He described.

Leliana and Aria stared at him in disbelief wondering if he lost his mind while the Seeker silently contemplated his story.

"Are you sure?" Leliana demanded.

"He is correct. This story corresponded with the one I heard a few years ago from one of his companions." Cassandra interjected.

"You knew about this?" Leliana was losing her composure. She got it together when the Warden reasuringly touched her knee.

"The story finished when Hawke speared a corrupt heart of this darkspawn with an enormous icicle. Though Varric Tethras expressed a strong conviction that the spirit of that darksawn could have survived." Nevarran added.

The Warden nodded firmly. "That suspicion was confirmed. Hawke validated that Corypheus had taken control of the First Warden after his meeting with Larius in the Tevinter Imperium. "

"The entity devised a new plan. It planned to put Hawke through the Joining. Then it would repeat the same procedure it had done with me. Corypheus was convinced that it would be much smoother process due to the link they shared - the blood of Malcolm Hawke."

He deliberately continued."We realized we didn't have much time. We hatched a desperate plan." He continued with both respect and derision." We wouldn't be able to escape without Hawke's readiness to sacrifice himself and without the idea from Corypheus."

He explained. "We needed an enormous amount of power to overcome the enchantments in the walls and there was only one way to acquire it."

"Blood magic." Three women in room whispered at once.

"Indeed. Hawke offered his blood for needed spell. I used a lot of his blood as well as mine to cast a powerful enough spell. It bent iron bars in the small window of our cell and thanks to my DRAstic trick we disappeared from Weisshaupt Fortress without a trace."

" A drastick trick?" Aria and Cassandra asked as one while Leliana and the Warden chuckled at them.

"Never mind." The Warden continued. "Hawke almost died when I transported him from the fortress. We both had to recover so we spent some time in chantry hospital in Nevarra."

"Then we decided to track down Corypheus. However that bastard was still one step ahead of us. We followed him through the Tevinter Empire, Nevarra and Dalish in Orlais. We almost got him there but he escaped through Eluvian and we were left with nothing. Then Haven happened and all went to the Fade."

The Seeker interrupted him and curiously queried. "How did you and the Champion plan to stop him? You told us that he was only a spirit without body."

The Warden shuffled uncomfortably obviously reluctant to reveal their plan, but when Leliana slowly caressed his arm, he finally breached the silence. "The same way as I killed the ar…, I mean the same way we already had stopped one ancient beast."

"I would let Corypheus inside me and pull our essences together to the Fade. We would fight there over the control of my body. If I would lose the Champion was instructed to slay Corypheus in my body. Without body it would be crippled and locked in the Fade."

"Corypheus would need a mind of a powerful mage with a taint to even attempt a possession of a person from the Fade. Its power in the Fade would be markedly diminished as well. The Fade is vast, some say even infinite and warden's mages are few and amongst the most powerful. He could be imprisoned there for eternity." He sighted.

"Doesn't matter now. We failed. What is more, the veil is ripped apart so this plan is not feasible anymore."

Three women were processing that last-ditch plan. And the readiness of Hawke and the Commander to make a supreme sacriffice.

Leliana recovered first, unsteadily rose from her armchair and to the shock of the others she slapped the Warden hard across his face and hissed angrily. "You would do this to me and leave me alone again?"

With a pained expression he whispered to her. "If it would ensure your safety I wouldn't hesite." He held her gaze while tears were falling down her cheeks.

Without a warning she grabbed his face in her hands and pulled him to her for a passionate kiss which he eagerly returned.

"Ehm, I think we will continue tomorrow." The Inquisitor uncertainly offered.

The Commander and Sister Nightingale apparently agreed. He lifted her to his arms, she wrapped hers around his neck gently kissing his cheek. They proceeded to Leliana's room next to the infirmary.

Cassandra chuckled inwardly when Aria mumbled to herself. "She is the chantry sister. I thought he was single."

-ooo-

The Warden escorted her to the small bedroom in her apartment. Leliana bade him to come to her bed. He laid down carefully on his right side to face her. Her dearest one slowly leaned and gave her a small sweet kiss. She wanted more. She wanted her warden but he refused and stated that she had to rest.

_Always a gentleman…_

…_and a protector. _

He gently carressed her shoulders, her neck, her cheeks and finally settled his arm around her waist. She was purring in bliss. His magical touch put her at ease as she drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

_Probably because it was really magical._

When Leliana woke up in the morning and turned on her side she gazed lovingly at the man in her bed. Next to her laid her dearest one, her soul mate, her beloved. His love for her, his readiness to sacrifice himself for her brought a new sensation to her heart. Never before she had felt such joy, happiness and love she was feeling to her paramour right now.

The former relationship with Marjolaine paled in comparison to this bond. The bond, two of them shared, had been growing stronger with each passing year.

When he had explained a day before why he had left, she had realized that their union hadn't weakened, on the contrary it had been reaching beyond a physical world.

_Two souls intertwined together._

-ooo-


	9. PROGRESS

Hello guys,

this chapter is a relaxation for me and also breather between chapters.

It concerns relationships in Inquisition a bit and development the Inquisition made so far.

Please, leave your opinions and thoughts in reviews.

Thank you and savour this chapter.

-ooo-

Weeks were passing gradually. During that time Leliana had time to heal and recover from her ordeal. The Inquisition consolidated its power and became more powerful thanks to the contracts the Commander had negotiated, while the Inquisitor and her team were systematically closing rifts in Ferelden. The Commander himself was tutoring the Inquisitor in a mastery of administration, leadership and combat.

The Warden had eyes on talents and specialists who could strengthen the organization. A foursome of executives were in the office of the Seeker discussing a potential recruitment and other matters.

"I think we should consider filling a position of a military advisor. The Inquisition needs someone who would focus specifically on our overal military force." The Inquisitor began.

Cassandra inwardly smiled.

_It seems that lectures from our Commander have finally paid off. _

Leliana slightly smirked at almost proud expression on the face of her lover.

Aria continued oblivious of their reactions. "I was looking through the dossiers and I think I might have a suitable candidate."

"Let's hear it." The Seeker encouraged.

"Ex-Knight Captain Cullen." Aria announced.

"You mean ex-Templar from the Circle of Magi in Ferelden?" Sister Nightingale queried while her partner delivered thoughtfully. "Yes. In fact former Knight Captain in Kirkwall as well. Hawke spoke of him. He valued him highly... For the Templar."

"Yes. He rallied forces in Kirkwall after the incident there. Despite the desertion of majority of templars, he managed to restore the order partially there." Cassandra provided uncomfortably, it was reminding her of her own plight with the Seekers.

"Well, we know he is skilled. I suggest putting him on the trial to prove himself. For instance as Lieutenant of Lady Cassandra. If he will pass, we can always promote him later." The Warden offered.

"Then it is settled for now." Sister Nightingale continued. "I have also some ideas about a post of our ambassador."

They were discussing various problems and propositions for hours before they called it a day.

-ooo-

Leliana and the Warden were interrupted in their new room with a soft knock on doors and Aria Trevelyan slowly walked in.

"Commander. A word, if I may?" The Inquisitor quietly requested. Leliana nodded in understanding and got moving from the room. The Orlesian beauty was halted with a hand on her arm. "With you as well, Sister Nightingale." The Inquisitor implored.

She had now their utmost attention. She took a deep breath and did something what she should had done long ago."I would like to apologize to you for my careless actions that caused you so much anguish."

Leliana looked like she wanted to say something but stayed silent when her love softly touched her arm and wrapped his own around her back. She leaned to him slightly to feel his comfort.

The Inquisitor took a deep breath and continued." I am really sorry that I didn't heeed your advice and sent you to Redcliffe without any intel or backup and for what you had to suffer there."

Leliana felt that his arm tightened firmly around her when the Inquisitor had mentioned her torture and she turned her striking eyes to her dearest one to give him a small peck on his cheek and he relaxed slightly.

_He got me out of there. I will "thank" him later. _

Leliana mused mischievously.

"Please accept my deepest apology." She looked uncertainly at Leliana who smiled slightly at her and nodded.

Then Aria turned to the Warden and resumed. "Also I would like to apologize to you, Commander. I know how much Sister Nightingale means to yo…"

She was stopped when redhead raised her hand and spoke softly. "You can call me Leliana, if you wish." Orlesian gave a woman in front of her a small encouraging nod.

"Ehm yes…how much Leliana means to you. I regret that I was so sloppy and risked her life." When he gave no indication to speak she continued. "I would like to thank you for that rescue in Redcliffe. We would surely perish without your intervention."

The Inquisitor nervously cleared her throat and progressed. "Also you have my gratitude for all your hard work, effort and money that you are pouring to this organization and to my training. I will try to not disappoint you, Commander."

She lifted her eyes to his stone face and received a small nod.

Before she could take her leave, one sentence stopped her on the threshold. "The only one you don't want to disappoint is the person you see every morning in the mirror." He stated in his usual crisp voice which he had always used to address her.

She hesitantly nodded and left.

When they were alone, Leliana seductively turned to him and whispered to his ear. "Tough love, I see."

He slowly sneaked his other arm around his woman pulling her closer. Bitting her earlobe gently he naughtily breathed to her. "You want some?" The Warden didn't give her a chance for a smart remark and hungrily captured her luscious lips.

-ooo-

The meetings in the war room were summoned to assess an advancement of the Inquisition. It was also an opportunity for delegations to plead their cases at the court.

A waiting area outside the war room was buzzing with activity. Different groups of people were waiting for their turn. However aroma of a change permeated the atmosphere in the waiting room as well. There was something new, something that was lacking last time.

_Resolve and order._

The Seeker silently passed around bickering groups and slowly walked in to the room where were being decided all important cases for the future of the Inquisition.

The war room was redesigned significantly. In the far side was elevated pedestal with a trio of armchairs. Commander insisted that the Inquisitor and the leadership had to step into the light and show people who is in charge.

_Ironically he didn_'_t put himself there._

Trinity was now consisted of three women. The Inquisitor herself was in the middle one representing the authority of office. To her left was seated their newest member and friend of Leliana, the appointed ambassador Lady Josephine Montilyet from Antiva. The last armchair was empty until Cassandra assumed her position and seated next to the Inquisitor presenting a military leader of the Inquisition.

When some meetings had been deemed important enough, the Commander and Sister Nightingale had usually stood behind the throne in shadows.

For more personal meetings especially between members of the leadership of the Inquisition, a round table was put at the right side of the room.

_It depicts that people seated there are equals._

Lady Montilyet listed strategic accomplishments of reborn Inquisition as Cassandra reflected upon recent events.

_Denerim Bank has authorized a generous war loan to the Inquisition after some pressure from the Chancellor of the Ferelden King._

_Supply routes were established between the temporary seat of the Inquisition in Haven and Highver and thanks to Lady Montilyet with Gwaren as well. Units of our soldiers are patrolling these roads at present._

_Teyrn of Highever has also sent a platoon of his soldiers to support our supply routes._

_King Theirin gladly accepted the offer and sent an entire company of his elite troops to bolster ranks of the Inquisition. With that army unit a convoy was dispatched. The convoy full of military equipment, supplies and specialists. Master smiths Wade and Dryden amongst them._

_King Aeducan to amazement of agent Harding and the leadership of the Inquisition, except the Commander who had only smirked, was shipping lyrium to Haven for free._

_I guess that it was due to Commander and the fact that the Inquisitor closed an enormous rift near Orzammar among firsts._

_The contract with Dalish was made and Keeper Lanaya gratefully accepted mutual beneficial exchange. Dalish will provide herbs and vitally important items for herbalism, trap-making and poison-making and the Inquisiton will send food and some resources they need. _

The Seeker was interrupted from her musing when the Ambassador stopped listing accomplishments and turned to look behind the throne to the Commander.

"Commander, if I didn't know any better I would assume that our new allies have been preparing in past years very dutifully." Josephine stated the question more like an announcement.

She heard a slight chuckle. "Of course they were, Lady Josephine. I sent them messages about coming war as soon as I escaped from Weisshaupt Fortress."

He turned to Leliana and silently whispered. "I sent a message to our apartment in Val Royeux as well, but I guess you didn't get it according to your reaction when you first saw me. Right?"

She sadly nodded and carressed his cheek slightly.

He turned and addressed the Ambassador. "However I didn't send them messages that the veil of the Fade would be torn asunder. So I guess they were probably a little suprised as well."

Trio of women on the throne chuckled humourlessly and the Inquisitor commented. "Right."

The Inquisitor stated. "Lady Montilyet we may proceed with our scheduled meetings."

The Ambassador conceded and infinite hustle of appointments continued to the last hours. After many meetings and arguments the council finally finished.

Suddenly agent Harding stormed into the room and addressed the council. "Lady Inquisitor, our scouts have reported at least a hundred men in silver armor heading our way already far behind Redcliffe. Warden in armor of Legion of Dead is leading them?" She read the message from her scouts as if she didn't believe it herself.

The Inquisitor caught a small giggle from Leliana before the Commander whispered to her. "I think the delegation from Amaranthine is on the way."

The spy agent caught his words and continued. "Yes, Commander. They will be here in four hours." She paused and changed a topic. "Moreover, I have new findings about that task you have assigned to me."

"Truly?" For the first time during meetings he stepped from the shadows and smiled brightly at the dwarven spy whose cheeks reddened faintly still remembering his flirting last time they had talked. Leliana narrowed her eyes observing the situation in front of her, unsure what to make of it.

_Blushing dwarven girl. A secret task. Brightly smiling Warden. _

_Step carefully, my dearest one._

"Yes, Sir. I have located a derelict fortress situated on the Orlais/Nevarran borders. In fact, almost in the middle of it. High in the mountains, fairly defensible, close enough to the Imperial Highway. The locals call it Skyhold."

The Commander nodded and asked. "Have you calculated an estimated price of renovation including furnishings and equipment?"

Harding agreed hesitantly. "Yes, Commander."

The Warden picked up on it and reassured. "Relax. How much?"

"At least four thousand sovereigns to make it operational." She blurted out. "Expenses would be escalated due to adjusting of living conditions so high in the mountains and necessity to hire dwarven master stonemasons to strengthen the structure of the fortress."

The council gasped in shock when they found out that outrageous price. Four thousand sovereigns was a fortune. Annual income of Royal Treasury in Ferelden in post-Blight years oscillated from seven to nine thousand sovereigns per year.

"Excellent. I knew I could count on you. You were given a difficult task and you carried it out in an exemplary manner." Agent Harding was blushing furiously at an unexpected praise from an usually strict leader.

"Financial resources granted." He smiled at a petrified spy. "You will get a builder to design the project. Then you will hand that plan and your calculation over to our chief accountant. After that you will receive an advance payment whenever the next part of project will start. Is it acceptable, Ms Harding?"

Their conversation was interrupted when the Seeker cleared her throat uncomfortably and objected. "Commander, are you sure about that? To spend so much would burden the Inquisition greatly. You could have build a massive army instead."

"Cassandra is right." The Inquisitor agreed silently.

Lady Montilyet seemed to be in agreement with them but stayed silent. Even Leliana looked a little hesitant.

"I know." The Warden answered. It earned him puzzled expressions from the audience around him. " It is at my own expense."

The leadership of the Inquisition with agent Harding were gaping at him in shock. Then Nevarran Seeker dared to ask a question which probably everyone was considering right now. "You… You have such a substantial fortune at your disposal?"

He jokingly responded. "Well some of my friends would say that it has something to do with a kleptomaniac inside me, others would declare that it is an obsessive compulsion to accumulate stuff."

Leliana giggled slightly in understanding and earned a small smile from her beloved.

The Warden pushed forward. "I made a packet in my profession." He forced Leliana to chuckle, she was barely holding it in.

"What kind of profession?" Lady Montilyet inquired.

He was rubbing his chin as if deep in thought. "Hmm. I worked as an Expert in aggressive negotiations." Leliana couldn't hold it anymore and erupted into laughter.

The Warden smiled brightly at Leliana in satisfaction before turned to the throne and apologized.

"Sorry about that. Inside jokes. You understand."

"Where did you intend to invest such a huge amount of money?" Josephine inquired.

"Actually I planned on running a charity with my favourite chantry sister but it seems that intent is postponed for now." The Commander winked at now lightly reddened Orlesian beauty.

"To put us back on track I believe that Skyhold is absolutely imperative for the Inquisition to grow and prosper. It will strengthen this organization and its foundations. After we secure Ferelden, a new seat between Nevarra and Orlais will grant us far greater respect and influence. Powerful Inquisition inside and outside."

The Warden paused and added. "You know there is an old proverb."

"_If there is no enemy within…"_

He was stopped and chuckled when Leliana, Cassandra and Aria finished his quote. _"…the enemy outside can do us no harm."_

"A wise attitude, Commander." The Ambassador agreed while he was smiling approvingly at the three women in front of him.

-ooo-


	10. TRUTH REVEALED

Hello,

to answer complaints concerning lack of the time for the Inquisitor in this fanfiction.

Well, I am sorry about that but this story is focused principally on the Warden and Leliana.

Don't worry I am sure Bioware will make up for it in DAI. I just wish that the Warden would appear there as well.

Also my favourite character from DAO makes appearance in this chapter.

Enjoy reading and please leave a review.

-ooo-

"Deputy Warden Commander Nathaniel Howe from Amaranthine." Herald announced and left the war room when a duo of wardens made a way to the throne. Next to the Deputy Commander walked a red-haired dwarf.

"Commander Howe, I welcome you in the HQ of the Inquisition." The Inquisitor greeted from her seat.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. Though I wish it was under better circumstances." Howe politely replied.

Before anyone could carry on, the meeting was interrupted with swearing and a wolf whistle. "By the tits of my ancestors. Look at that cutie in the corner." The dwarf turned to Nathaniel and pointed to the corner where agent Harding was comfortably seated in the chair. Her cheeks reddened but contrary to her flirting with the Commander, her eyes were flashing in barely hidden fury now.

"Oghren." Nathaniel next to him sighted slightly rubbing his temple in frustration. He turned to the throne and apologized. "My apology, Lady Inquisitor."

"Apparently some things never change." A melodic giggle came from the silhouette behind the throne.

Oghren's eyes almost popped out."No way. It can't be. Show yourself, lass."

Radiant redhead stepped out of the shadows and slowly walked before him. "Hello, Oghren. It's good to see you."She smiled at him.

"Lass, I …" Leliana couldn't believe it. Oghren was crying. Trying to hide it, he fiercely hugged her and lifted her up slightly, while she was smoothing his hair lightly.

He put her down gently while rubbing furiously his eyes and continued. "I missed you. I missed even that delicious snack which your lover boy had gifted to you. How pathetic is that?" The dwarf asked and pointed his finger at Howe. "You all left me and I had to remain with this spoilsport."

Howe grimaced slightly while a trio on the throne was doing their best to keep a straight face. They failed horribly.

Leliana knelt and gently embraced the emotional dwarf and whispered. "It seems our path is crossing again."

Oghren restored a fragment of his composure and in his usually gruff voice rumbled. "Red, I know you have always had the hots for me but I prefer dwarven wenches. No offence."

Leliana sweetly smiled at him. "Good. I wouldn't like to explain our indiscretion to the Commander and neither would you."

"That's right." Oghren smiled before furrowed his brows. "Wait… What?"

Before he could question her again she retreated to her place behind the throne. The Inquisitor cleared her throat and attracted the attention back to her. "Commander Howe, I assume you agree to our request concerning the fabulous Silver Order?"

"Yes, my lady. Extermination of demons is a priority right now. The silver knights are awaiting your command." He replied.

"We appreciate your cooperation, but there is much more important matter that must be addressed now."

"I learnt that you cut all your connections with Weisshaupt Fortress in Anderfels." The Inquisitor looked for the confirmation and she got it. Her guest was no longer smiling.

"The threat from Anderfels is much bigger than you realize." She carried on.

"What do you mean?" The Deputy Commander asked suspiciously.

"The First Warden has been possessed by ancient Darkspawn. I don't have to tell you what trouble it will cause."

"What? How do you know that?" He sharply demanded an answer.

"I told her that." A shady silhouette appeared behind the throne and answered in an authorative voice.

"No sodding way." Oghren whispered in astonishment.

"Allow me to introduce you Commander of our a…" The Inquisitor began but was cut off by indignant Oghren.

"Commander? Commander? This is THE Commander."Oghren roared out.

"Oghren." The individual behind the throne sighted, already knowing where this was heading, and stepped out of the shadows.

"What do you mean?" Cassandra asked her interest peaked.

"This is the sodding Commander of the Grey." Oghren looked around at blank expressions. He sighted and slowly spelled.

FOR SLOW-WITTED

THE COMMANDER OF THE GREY IN FERELDEN

THE ONE THAT KILLED AN ARCHEDEMON AND SUPPOSEDLY DIED

YOU KNOW THE HERO OF FERELDEN.

For a moment there was an absolute silence in the war room as Oghren dropped the bomb. Then all turned to the Warden Commander and compared his face in memories with paintings they saw after the Blight.

Leliana surprisingly calmly confirmed his claim. "Oghren is correct. It's him."

Oghren snorted. "Of course I am right. Who do you think saved his sorry ass during the Blight?" He haughtily remarked.

The Warden Commander dryly rebuffed him. "You mean from that dwarven ale, don't you?"

"Indeed." Oghren roared with laughter, Leliana joined him as well with small giggles.

The dwarf slightly composed himself, turned to Leliana and smirked. "So, are you still polishing his old Anvil, if you take my meaning?" Causing Leliana to blush furiously.

"Oghren." The Commander of the Grey failed with his strict voice unable to hide his amusement.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry Commander. With you in charge I actually have a good feeling about this." Oghren responded confidently and seriously and surprised the ones that didn't know him.

"Warden Commander, may I ask?" Nevarran Seeker interjected. "I had a feeling I knew you from somewhere and also my suspicions. All that knowledge you have, all that experience you possess, all skills you master and all hints you have left for us. However in the end it came to your alleged death. So I banished that thought. Why did you feign your death?"

All heads in the room eagerly turned to him awaiting to learn the truth about the legendary Warden who had risen from the ashes and to the ashes pulverized the Blight.

Leliana came beside him and took his hand in hers. He gravely explained. "I didn't fake my death I died. There is a reason why the Grey Wardens are needed to stop the Blight."

"Basically when you kill the archdemon, its immortal soul jumps to the nearest body with a taint. If it is a darskpawn, the Old God reborns and the Blight continues. It is also reason why first Blights lasted for centuries before Wardens devised a new solution. That solution is the taint in our veins. When the archdemon attempts that technique now, its soul collides with a soul of the nearest Warden and both die in the process."

The Inquisitor inquired in awe. "So what changed? What have you done?"

The Commander of the Grey sighted. "The difference was that I knew about the problem, I had enough lyrium to blow Orzammar sky-high and because I am probably one of the most powerful mages in generations."

Leliana softly squeezed his hand and he continued. "The battle of Denerim was relentless. Luckily Senior Warden Riordan crippled the archdemon and it felt on the top of Fort Drakon unable to fly. I, Allistair, Leliana and golem Shale fought our way through the prison filled with the darkspawn. We got on the rooftop and engaged Urthemiel in close combat and we almost killed it."

"Primarily thanks to you and your skills." Leliana proudly supported him.

"Regardless I knocked out Allistair determined to deliver a killing blow."

"Wait a moment. You knocked out the King Theirin?" The Inquisitor asked in amazement.

"Yeah, little pike-twirler wasn't very pleased with it. Got over it eventually." Oghren snorted.

The Warden metodically explained. "He is a great man and my brother but he wouldn't have a chance. Moreover he has been a new king of the united Ferelden, the one that has cemented alliances in this country. All stood as one against the Blight."

The Warden pressed on. "So I did what I had to. Then I used as much lyrium as I could, casted the spell and finished the archdemon. Essentially I pulled its essence with mine to the Fade."

"I was fighting a terrible battle in the Fade and I was losing. I had to fight off not only its physical attacks but also its attempts to penetrate my mind. The Old God managed to strike me down with some unknown but incredibly powerful spell. I was slowly dying with only one image in my mind." The Warden Commander looked to his beloved next to him and smiled a little.

"I breathed my last and drifted to the darkness." He looked around seeing that a small group in the room was holding a breath. Except for Leliana. She had already known this story.

He steeled himself. "It was not the end. Benevolent spirits of the Fade have assisted me. More specifically one of the most powerful – the Spirit of Hope as ancient as the Fade itself. It healed my wounds, augmented my strength and merged with me. We were powerful enough to annihilate Urthemiel and end the Blight."

"You have a spirit inside you?" The Seeker asked in astonishment.

"Yep. How do you think I could turn myself to a transparent mode on the battlefield?" The Warden lightly joked.

"You can turn yourself transparent?" The Inquisitor wondered disbelievingly.

Realizing they weren't familiar with this piece of information, he slightly smirked. "Ups?"

Leliana intensely elbowed him to ribs and elicited a hearty laugh from Oghren.

The Warden Commander continued. "When I woke up I was placed in a chapel waiting for funeral with only Leliana next to me. "

Leliana took it from there. "I was praying to the Maker for the return of my beloved and then he opened his eyes and was smiling brightly at me. It was a miracle."

The Seeker interjected. "That is amazing... But why did you fake your death even after that?"

The Warden sighted. "When you go through so much shit thrown at you from all sides, when you lose almost all you hold dear to your heart, when you sacrifice everything to stop the world's end, and when you return from the afterlife itself, you realize one important thing."

"What's that?" Agent Harding breathed her question reverentially in awe from a living legend in front her.

The Warden Commander smiled at her and addressed all in room. "Life is too short. What gives your life a sense of fulfillment, a sense of joy? Find out what is it you want and go after it. There is no tomorrow. Only the present day."

He pointed at Leliana. "I have found her. She means everything to me." Leliana blinked back her tears of joy, lovingly rubbing his hand in hers.

He turned to the Nevarran beauty. "I don't give a shit about some hero title. You think it was hard to walk away? It was the easiest thing I have ever done. When you lose so much, you focus on the most important things." The Warden pressed redhead closer to him.

Leliana explained. "With the help of the king we maintained a legend of the fallen hero."

Her partner added. "During the following years some of our companions learnt the truth. Oghren and Wynne, when Allistair needed my help in Amaranthine. Zevran, when I was travelling through Antiva. In the end the official version still remains that of the fallen Hero of Ferelden."

Oghren slowly bobbed his head in agreement.

Leliana provided. "I have never regretted it. I have spent with you the best years in my life." She pecked his cheek softly.

Deputy Commander Howe cleared his throat. "What about that business with the Elder One, Warden Commander?"

The Warden related his story briefly to Howe and Oghren.

"That means that Corypheus is now controlling the highest leadership of Wardens and planning to wage a war in Thedas?" Nathaniel summarized it.

"So what? We we will kill this son of a nug and hang its head above the entrance of Vigil's Keep." Oghren stated confidently.

The Warden stopped them strictly. "The threat is much greater than you realize. I am guessing now but you have encountered less and less number of darkspawn in Deeps Roads with each passing week during the last year , have you not?"

Nathaniel was left momentarily confused with a change of topic but still answered. "You are right. How do you know about that?"

"Just a lucky or more likely an unlucky guess." Came a short response. "Do you know what kind of knowledge has the First Warden in possession?"

Warden Howe looked thoughtful for a moment when his eyes suddenly widened in fear. "No, it is not possible."

The Warden nodded gravely. "That is exactly what I would have done."

Leliana looked at him in dread as well as the others. "What…What do you mean by that?"

Nathaniel Howe answered instead of him. "The First Warden knows the locations of the prisons of two remaining Old Gods."

Leliana and the trinity of women on the throne gasped when they realized implications.

"So what? They are buried deep underground." Oghren asked unsure what all the fuss was about.

Cassandra summarized all info and to a dead silent room whispered. "It means that the Elder One has assumed a direct control over the darkspawn and sent them to dig out the Old Gods."

The Commander of the Grey agreed. "Pretty much. Therefore I have pressured to consolidate the power of the Inquisition as quick as we could. We must move forward and engage the Elder One as soon as we are strong enough."

He mused thoughtfully. "Also, I should probably inform you that the Hawke is gathering new allies in Rivain, Tevinter and Free Marches as we speak. He will join us in Skyhold when the time will come."

The Inquisitor announced. "That's great news. We must stand united against this threat." All nodded in agreement knowing a reputation of the Champion of Kirkwall.

The Warden turned to Oghren. "Have you brought what I messaged you about?"

Oghren nodded firmly understanding the Warden's reference to a secret base of Wardens in Ferelden - Soldier's Peak.

The Commander of the Grey slightly motioned with his hand. "If you may?"

"Of course, Warden Commander." Oghren bowed slightly and called inside two silver knights who were carrying an enormous chest between them.

"By your orders."Oghren stated when knights put the chest down before the throne and exited room. He carefully opened a chest with a magical key that had been placed around his neck.

The leadership of the Inquisition was in shock when they realized that the chest was full of sovereigns and gold ingots. Even Leliana couldn't stop herself and leaned a little more to see. The Warden chuckled, grasped her around waist and pressed her firmly to him once more.

Josephine stepped from her armchair to observe it. "I would say at least seven thousand sovereigns."

"Ten in fact." Oghren proudly announced.

Leliana turned to her beloved. "The Maker had to send you to us. You have already helped so much."

"I agree." The Seeker and the Inquisitor muttered to themselves.

The Warden Commander quipped to Leliana silently. "The Maker had to send you to me. I think we are even."

Leliana couldn't stop her cheeks blushing furiously. He noticed she was gazing into his eyes with a strange gleam and blinked. She leaned closer to his ear and whispered sensually. "Later."

The Warden addressed a trio in front of him. "It should be enough to reconstruct Skyhold and accelerate our preparations."

The Inquisitor rose. "Commander, we are in your debt. Again. You came to us when we needed help the most and showed us a better way to do things. The Maker knows we needed it."

-ooo-

Weeks passed quickly. The Inquisitor and her team had been intensively working on mending the veil of the Fade in Ferelden. Thanks to the collective effort of the army of the Inquisition, the organization was able to secure an entire country except Redcliffe, where the Venatori were still holding the castle and its surroundings.

The plan was put in motion. The Warden Commander designed a strategy that explored that secret passage to the castle from the village.

King Allistair loaned out a few companies of troops, while teyrns of Highever and Gwaren sent a few platoons each to end the last threat in Ferelden itself. King Bhelen of Orzammar sent a company of heavy infantry augmented with dozens soldiers of the Legion of the Dead. The united clans of elven from Ostagar sent three platoons of archers.

The Warden and Leliana who insisted to be at his side, were accompanied by three dozens of elite soldiers from Haven who had been trained by the Warden Commander himself. The Warden activated Flaming Weapons and Rock Armor for his troops and led them through a hidden passage to the castle. The majority of their army, led by Commander Pentaghast, was engaging the Venatori in area around Redcliffe and at the gate of Redcliffe Castle. The Inquisitor supervised their progress with Lieutenant Cullen from the windmill in the village.

The Venatori were practically wiped out in Redcliffe. The Warden and his troops called the Immortals cleared and seized the castle very quickly to a great surprise of the Venatori inside. Then Leliana with a flaming arrow sent a signal to the forces of the united Ferelden outside the castle.

The rest of Venatori battalion was squeezed between a rock and a hard place. From the direction of the village charged a mixed army of dwarves, elves and humans, while from the castle attacked a platoon of elite troops dressed in black. The Venatori formations crumbled swiftly. Armed forces of the enemy were entirely crushed very soon after that.

FERELDEN WAS SECURED.

-ooo-


	11. TWO SOULS, ONE LOVE

Hi guys,

I have a short announcement for you regarding this chapter and remainder of this fanfiction.

This is chapter eleven and the reason why this story is rated M. Don_'_t worry, nothing too graphic. I tried to write a particular scene with Leliana and the Warden as tasteful as I was able.

I have already a rough draft of two remaining chapters. Chapter 12 will be the longest one in this story somewhere past three thousands words and posted probably on Monday after I polish it somehow.

On the other hand final chapter will be only around three hundred words. It will be hopefully some kind of a follow-up to the incoming game and most likely released on Tuesday.

Enjoy this chapter and feel free to leave a review. Thank you.

-ooo-

On the way to Haven after liberation of Redcliffe, the Warden Commander and the Inquisitor found themselves walking alongside each other. To Aria's surprise, the Warden initiated a talk. "Ferelden is secured and the united army of Ferelden should be able to hold borders against any potential invasion. The Inquisition must move to Skyhold soon."

"Aye, first task is done, an enormous challenge remains." The Inquisitor remarked and earned an appraising look from her companion.

The Warden stated seriously. "You have come a long way since our first meeting. Back then I saw just a spoiled noble brat…" He chuckled to himself.

_That sounds familiar._

"…but now I see a fine woman who embraced her destiny and is ready to face challenges head on." He added in afterthought.

Aria's cheeks reddened slightly at an unexpected praise from her mentor.

"Many believe you are the Hand of the the Maker…" He continued pensively.

"What do you believe?" The Inquisitor couldn't stop herself and asked.

He continued in serious tone. "I do not know if you are the Herald of Andraste but that belief gives you power. In order to achieve victory and restore order, you must use it."

"I know. The world is tearing itself apart right now." She silently spoke.

"And you are the only one who can stop this. No pressure." He tried to lighten her mood.

"None taken." She smiled slightly enjoying very much this relaxed side of her mentor which she had never seen before. At least not directed at her.

"Now I shall take my leave before I will have to explain to Lady Guerrin why her favourite chinaware didn't survive our fight in the castle." It forced a hearty smile from Aria. He nodded slightly and headed to the back of convoy.

The Inquisitor was mulling over her conversation with the legendary Warden when the Nevarran Seeker caught up with her. "I see you have had a nice chat with our benefactor considering you are smiling."

Aria nodded. "He is special."

Cassandra smiled slightly. "I agree. You know I envy Leliana a little. Well…very much in fact." She listed his qualities.

Strong, yet tender.

Powerful, yet considerate.

Authoritative, yet sensitive.

Serious, yet funny.

Handsome, yet faithful.

"What more do you want from the man?" Cassandra rhetorically asked, her eyes softened when she was observing the man in question before them.

"Not yours, yet mine?" Aria teasingly asked before hopefully inquired. "Do you think the Champion of Kirkwall is single?"

Cassandra chuckled lightly shaking her head.

-ooo-

Leliana woke up the following day after the Inquisition forces had returned from the liberation of Redcliffe. She rested in bed in her small apartment in Haven. Orlesian beauty lay naked wearing only an ornate silver amulet in the shape of a sword around her neck and her engagement bracelet on her wrist. Both jewels were gifts from a very special man who was currently sleeping next to her. She turned on her side to get a better look at the handsome companion who was peacefully breathing and resting with his arm around her.

_I don't know what he did with me in Redcliffe but every scar I had is gone. _

_He loved them as every part of me but I am feeling much better without them._

Leliana was watching him fondly and started caressing lovingly his abdomen in slow circles.

_He was so patient with me. It was driving me mad. _

_First when I was recovering from my injuries and then when he explained to me why he had left. _

_In the end I had to force him._

_He is worth it._

For the first time in years they had been intimate. When they had returned from Redcliffe she had pulled him into her room. He had tried to resist her but she had been extremely persuasive.

_Forces of the Inquisition finally arrived in Haven. They had separated and said goodbye with their elven, dwarven and human allies in Redcliffe. Despite tired and battered, troops were in high spirits thanks to a great success in south-west part of Ferelden. Rest was in order. The Inquisitor wanted to discuss some matters with the Warden but before she could catch his attention, Leliana beat her to it and disappeared with him in the temple._

_The Warden was surprised when Leliana drew his attention with a small smile and grabbed his hand forcing him to follow. He stopped her at the door to her quarters and she turned around to face him._

"_Lily?" He softly asked while attentively studying her expression._

"_I won't be denied again." She growled and attacked him like a tigress. She pressed her lips to his and locked him in a passionate kiss. She was absolutely giddy before her beloved slowly pulled away._

"_What are you doing?" Orlesian demanded wildly whilst trying to lock their lips together again._

_The Warden resisted and whispered almost too silently for her to hear while gently caressing her left cheek. "Lily, are you sure? After everything I have done…" His voice trailed off to silence._

_She embraced him firmly and rested her forehead against his. Leliana whispered lovingly. "I love you and I always will." She softly kissed his lips and continued. "After everything you have done? The way I see it, you sacrificed yourself to protect me. I admit, I was angry and heartbroken when you left, but it was because I didn't_ _know reasons. I thought you were fed up with me."_

_He interrupted her. "How could you think that? You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you. You mean the world to me."_

_Her cheeks moistened with her tears at his words but she steeled herself and explained. _

"_Now I see what you went through for me. I feel our bond more stronger than ever. I am grateful to the Maker that I have found you and that you have showed me your love. The purest form of love - to sacrifice yourself for the one you love." _

_The Warden gently wiped her tears with thumbs as he was silently listening her confession. Leliana was silent for a moment while staring into his captivating eyes. She composed herself somewhat and whispered. "I have been waiting so long for you. I want you." _

_That was all it took for the Warden to make a decision. He delicately lifted her into his arms and carried her to a small apartment. He lowered her on the bed and leaned over her. Slowly caressing her moist cheek, he breathed to her ear."I will make it worthwhile for you." _

_A gorgeous woman beneath him shuddered in anticipation. Her dearest one was after so long finally back with her. The Warden started sensually kissing her lips while fondling her body through the armor. He carefully caught her lower lip between his, slowly sucking on it and lightly massaging it with his tongue._

_He was leisurely unbuckling clasps of her armor parts while continuing his ministrations. He finally got rid off her attire and before him a naked beauty was lying on the bed. Her cheeks reddened brightly when she opened her eyes and noticed his gaze. The Warden noted that blush didn't stop at her face but formed light shades of red on her neck and bosom. It made her even more ravishing._

_She tried to sit up and help him with his armor, but was stopped with a soft kiss on her neck that made her relax. The Warden expertly discarded his own armor and remained only in a body-fitting short-sleeved black shirt and pants before he returned his attention to her._

_Leliana was moaning quietly when he captured her mouth again while slowly fondling her body without any obstacles in his way. Her paramour was affectionately trailing small kisses alongside her jaw slowly making his way to her right ear where he whispered."I love you, Lily." Sucking her earlobe gently while his right hand was massaging her left breast._

_Leliana was in a bliss when her lover continued to pleasure her on the way to his goal. Her jaw. Her collarbone. Her breasts. Her tummy. Even her belly button. Not a single one of her sensitive areas were left out. _

_When he reached his destination, he was teasing her slightly pleasuring her everywhere except the spot she desired the most. She was breathing heavily in an anticipation of his next actions. _

_Then he focused on her core and she was crying in ecstasy. He was relentless in his ministrations. Her body was shaking with pleasure and her mind almost exploded when her paramour used a magical trick with his tongue stimulating the most sensitive nerves in her body. That sent her over the edge. _

_Leliana was shaking uncontrollably, pleasure overriding every one of her senses. Her body was trembling slightly when her lover was keeping up his effort to prolong her delight. There was only one thing on her mind. Hapiness, joy and absolute bliss to be with her beloved again, to share herself completely with him. _

_Suppressed frustration from years when she was alone…vanished._

_Bond between lovers...forged an unbreakable link. _

_Declaration of his love…chased away her fear._

_Forgiveness and reunion…mended her heart. _

_Intimacy…showed his love for her._

_She was slowly stroking his hair for a moment, before she prompted him to join her face to face again._

_He smiled gently at her and gave her a deep kiss. After that Leliana murmured._

"_I love you too."_

_He settled comfortably next to her while she wrapped her arms around his neck holding him closely to feel a beating of his heart again, to feel safe again. After that she slowly drifted off to her sleep while he was caressing her tenderly._

Leliana was distracted from her rumination when she felt a small movement next to her. The man in question fidgeted a little in his sleep and instinctively drew himself up closer to her while murmuring something dangerously close to _"No Allistair. You will not cook ever again."_ That elicited a small smile from redhead next to him as she continued stroking his muscular frame.

_He is so selfless. _

_When I confronted him after our return from Redcliffe, demanded from him to fulfill my desire, he stopped me trying not to hurt my feelings._

_And even after we reaffirmed our feelings for each other, he provided me everything I lusted for and asked nothing in return._

Leliana broke her day dreaming when her eyes focused on his wrist, more specifically on a twin of her engagement bracelet that was located there. These bracelets had been made by the most renowned jeweller in Orzammar for an exorbitant sum. Sandal than ingrated to them the most powerful runes. Jewell worthy of a few hundred sovereigns.

_This bracelet is priceless to me in what it represents._

_Bond to the man I love. _

The Warden had gifted one of them to her when they had decided to pursue their relationship seriously.

_Gift for any Princess or Queen rather than me._

_Though he always said I was his Princess Warrior._

However it was not the bracelet that caught her attention. It was a tiny pouch that sticked out from a cavity in his jewel which was concealed with ingenious sliding mechanism. She only noticed that because the secret stash wasn't shut properly.

Leliana reached to his wrist and cautiously extracted a velvet pouch. She curiously squeezed it and frowned when she realized it was empty. She untied a red string around the pouch and peeked inside. Initially she didn't see anything inside.

_Wait a second. What is this?A vestige of some silver ash?_

_Unless…_

Leliana petrified with fear when she comprehended what she was holding in her hand. She looked at her lover and was startled realizing she was being watched by a pair of deep brown eyes intently.

The Warden leaned closer, before redhead could question him, and gave her a toe-curling kiss that blanked her mind for a moment. They separated slowly when a need for oxygen overhelmed their desire for each other. Her beloved smiled at her when he noticed her dazed look and slowly stroked her side reassuringly.

He whispered to her. "Good morning, my love."

"I…" Leliana was trying to compose herself but it was so damn difficult when her heart's desire was finally with her and on top of it so close to her. She couldn't focus when he was petting her right tigh and hip and leaned to kiss her again.

"Please, wait…" Leliana struggled to restrain her lust for him. When he heard her plea, he immediately stopped. She couldn't decide whether to be angry at him or not that he respected her wish.

"Your desire?" The Warden slightly smirked seeing a look of indecisiveness on her face and teased her slightly with his question. He knew exactly what she would associate it with.

Leliana took a calming breath, she didn't trust her voice right now and instead she raised slowly a hand, in which she was holding a velvet pouch. His eyes immediately darkened when he saw what was in her slender palm. The Warden checked up his bracelet and closed its sliding part violently.

"Is it…" Leliana was interrupted when he responded. "Yes."

"You have Sacred Ashes of Andraste?" Leliana couldn't believe it, she thought that they had been used to cure Arl in Redcliffe during the Blight.

"I had. I had to use them." The Warden vaguely explained.

"But why did you have them in the first place?" Leliana demanded sharply.

Her lover fidgeted uncomfortably and sighted, before calmly explained. "It was my insurance."

"Against what?" Leliana confusedly inquired.

The Warden looked into her eyes and explained. "Against the taint. It was my chance to get rid off it with a healing power of ashes. I have provided a small pinch of it to Allistair as well."

Leliana nodded in understanding. Her beloved had explained her a long time ago the curse, which the Wardens took upon themselves to combat the darkspawn. He would use the Ashes and they would be together without her fear of losing him to the Calling in Deep Roads.

_Except he doesn't have the Sacred Ashes anymore._

_Wait. He said he has already used them. _

"Then you are free. You are cured. It worked, right?" She asked hopefully.

When the Warden's left eye twitched slightly and he bit his lip violently, her sense of foreboding rocketed sky-high. He unclearly answered. "Not exactly."

"What does it mean?" She softly touched his cheek.

"It means I had to use it on something much more important than me." He retorted.

"Nothing is more important than you." She was caressing his cheek blinking back her tears.

His expression softened at her reaction and he declared resolutely. "You are."

"What?" A confused query came from the beauty next to him.

"When I got to the castle in Redcliffe and slaughtered my way through the Venatori and demons, I found you lying on the floor. You weren't breathing. I tried my most powerful healing spells but I wasn't able to revive you." The Warden was looking at her when she realized a true meaning behind his words.

"You… You used the Sacred Ashes of Andraste to resuscitate me. You used your only hope for getting rid of a taint to save me. You…" Her eyes filled with tears, she started sobbing uncontrollably into his chest and her beloved gently put his arms around her.

The Warden was soothing her, delicately stroking her hair, while she was crying in grief. Then he grabbed her chin and forced her gently to look into his eyes. "Lily, I would do anything for you and if that means to end my life in Deep Roads... then so be it. I would gladly make that sacrifice to experience one more day with you."

Leliana wrapped her hands around his neck and fiercely started kissing him with desperate abandon. When they parted, she was murmuring again and again. "My dearest one, I love you."

He softly smiled at her and drew her closer. She settled on the bed next to him. She lay on her side, her head resting on his shoulder, her arm draped over his chest, her right leg enlaced around his own. His right arm was wraped around her shoulders holding her closely in embrace.

She felt protected and loved in his arms and fell asleep, exhausted from a strenuous emotional experience she just endured.

-ooo-


	12. TOURNAMENT

Hello guys,

this is a penultimate chapter. Tomorrow, I will post a short epilogue and finish this fanfiction.

I am not entirely satisfied with this chapter but I promised to post it on Monday, so here it is.

Enjoy and leave your opinion in review or PM. Thank you.

-ooo-

The movement of the Inquisition to Skyhold was slightly delayed due to a difficulty of installation of water ducts there. So it was decided that that time would be utilized to strengthen the Inquisition in Haven.

Everybody was working hard to complete their tasks. Stewards, clerks, herbalists, smiths, merchants, peasants, workers and many more doubled their efforts to fortify a background of the Inquisition. Mages were working intensely to restock storerooms with supplies of poultices, potions, injury kits and many herbs needed for their production. Spies were gathering intel in and outside of Ferelden to better anticipate any new movements of the enemy. Off duty soldiers were training in simulated military operations and militia was trained by Corporal Rosslin himself and a few of his seasoned soldiers.

In fact Corporal Rosslin was a source of an idea that soon seized an entire base. He suggested to the Inquisitor organizing a training tournament which would compare skills of warriors there.

Interest of warriors and soldiers in Haven was so great that the Inquisitor and Corporal Rosslin had to create a schedule which determined when and who would fight. Despite it, the tournament had to be split in two days thanks to a number of competitors. Rules were simple. Fighting with dummy weapons and the winner of duel was the one who grounded his opponent.

The Commander and Sister Nightingale decided to not participate in the tournament. The Inquisitor joined them as well. While her skills with sword and shield had already reached at least rank of expert thanks to private lectures from the Warden Commander, she still preferred to hone her abilities in privacy. Commander Pentaghast would not arrive from Orlais until a second day of the contest, so she was off as well. Other than that, pretty much everybody who could hold a weapon signed in.

During the first day of the tournament everything went according to assumptions. The Inquisitor was especially pleased that members of her team moved on easily to the second day. At the end of the first day only 32 best remained. Amongst them were members of the Immortals, chevaliers from Orlais, entire Inquisitor's team, Commander Cullen, Corporal Rosslin, agent Harding and especially Warden Oghren and Iron Bull.

Two of them couldn't be more different. The dwarf versus the huge giant, but the way they fought, like the hurricane in a city, tearing everything around them down. The Inquisitor could only stare in awe. She knew the Qunari was an impressive warrior but she had also learned from Leliana that Oghren had been one of the best warriors in Orzammar. After she had seen him in action, she didn't doubt it. The Inquisitor stated her opinion to the Commander, that this duo would be in final. He said nothing, then looked at the roster, smirked and predicted that Oghren would be eliminated in the first round tomorrow morning. The Inquisitor couldn't hide her confusion when she looked and saw a name of his next opponent.

In the morning of the second day of the tournament, the small group of beholders was seated in a temporary auditorium of combat arena. The Inquisitor and Commander Pentaghast were observing duels in front of them, while the Warden and Sister Nightingale were paying only a mild attention to competitors, lost in a silent conversation. Leliana had her right hand intertwined with the left one of the Commander of the Grey, while the other one was softly stroking a strange creature, some rabbit-pig mix of animal sleeping in her lap.

Though when Oghren entered a wrestling ring, the Commander turned to the head of the Inquisition and slightly smirked.

Oghren's smile widened when he spotted his next foe. Agent Harding gracefully walked into the arena dressed only in a light armor. The Inquisitor noticed that the spy had extremely body-fitting armor that flattered her body marvelously.

Oghren evidently agreed, he leered at her shamelessly and shouted something Aria didn't catch. To her surprise, Harding sensually smiled and seductively made her way to a stunned dwarf who couldn't stop ogling her curves. When the spy was at arm's length from her adversary she enticingly leaned forward to almost drooling Warden and put her arm gently on his shoulder. Then in a blink of eye she rotated herself behind Oghren and tripped him hard. Before he knew what happened, he was on the ground.

The Inquisitor heard behind her the giggles from Leliana at Oghren's crashing defeat. It immediately stopped when a dwarven beauty stepped to the auditorium from the ring and softly kissed the Warden on his cheek. She whispered to him with slightly reddened cheeks. "Thank you Commander." And left the stage.

The Seeker and the Inquisitor were looking at him incredulously, while Leliana narrowed her eyes and was extricating her hand from his. He didn't let her. The Warden probably found an entire situation hilarious because he burst into laugh.

"What was that?" Leliana hissed at him, although much less seriously, when he was softly stroking her hand in his and gave her a small kiss on knuckles.

The Seeker understood the situation and mischievously inquired. "That kiss wouldn't be related to your assistance regarding her duel with Oghren, would it?"

The Commander nodded and smiled at the Nevarran beauty. "I may have mentioned some hints that would help her."

Leliana couldn't stop herself and chuckled slightly and the Inquisitor joined right after her.

Cassandra decided to tease a little a couple in front of her. "Careful, Commander. It seems Leliana has a meanstreak."

Leliana's cheeks reddened slightly at that comment.

Her beloved answered. "No she doesn…" He paused for a moment before stated naughtily. "Well that depends… Sometimes she does and then I don't complain. I don't complain at all." The Warden smiled at his favourite chantry sister who was now resembling an overgrown tomato.

-ooo-

The tournament ended. Iron Bull bested Commander Cullen in final. Cullen was an exceptional warrior but in the end a tremendous strength of Qunari prevailed.

Both warriors were rewarded for their performance with thunderous applause from a stacked auditorium. Then, the Inquisitor noticed that Sera whispered something to Qunari mercenary who scowled at her yet nodded slightly.

Aria realized Sera was about to pull one of her legendary stunts and that it would bring only trouble. Before she could interjected, an elven rogue already started.

"It is a custom that the champion of the tournament can challenge any opponent by his choice to a friendly match." Sera announced loudly to the audience that cheered in agreement.

Iron Bull stepped forward. "I challenge the leading commander of the Inquisition."

The Inquisitor tensed and noticed that Leliana as well. Aria would certainly not challenge the Warden Commander after what she had seen from him. The truth was however, that she was the only person who had seen him in fight. During the liberation of Redcliffe, the Warden mostly concentrated on supporting his elite troops and wasn't seen in hand to hand combat.

_I wouldn't be so eager to challenge him._

The Seeker cocked her head as she was observing a situation in front of her. On one hand, she was eager to see the legendary Warden Commander in combat, on the other, she realized that what Sera with unspoken approval of Bull had done, could had been considered as a dire insult. To challenge the leading officer of any organization even in a friendly match could had been explained as mistrust in his skills. Besides, it would draw more attention to him and somebody could recognize him as the legendary commander. Only their small group knew who he truly was.

_We are in Ferelden after all._

The Warden rose and responded. "I am sorry, but I don't fight in arena."

Iron Bull stepped forward and remarked something that was probably meant as a teasing, but instead it turned into a jab. "Commander, I am sure your lady friend can do without you for a moment." The mercenary pointed at Leliana and that action elicited snickers from the audience.

The Seeker got angry. These two idiots down there would ruin everything. Without the Warden Commander, the Inquisition would had already crumbled into dust and these two didn't come up with anything better than petty insults for him.

_Even Aria Trevelyan turned to a formidable leader and a warrior thanks to his lectures._

Cassandra rose to end this farce but was beaten to it by Leliana. The Orlesian beauty silently whispered to the Warden. "Dearest one, kick his ass…Quickly."

He smiled softly at her and gently squeezed her hand, before he turned, and made his way to the ring.

Not even bothering to change into his armor, he entered the arena dressed in a loose-fitting red sweater and black pants. The crowd was roaring in anticipation of an epic fight, cheering two foes inside the arena.

The Warden slowly stalked to the corner where Iron Bull had put away his massive waraxe. Qunari slightly smirked when he realized his intent. That smirk dropped from his face when his opponent, to the amazement of all in the arena, lift the waraxe up in his left hand, hurled it lightly in his direction and announced. "If you want your ass kicked, I will make sure that you can't use excuses that you didn't have your weapon."

The mercenary caught it in a flight and tried to regain his waning confidence. He stated cock-surely. "It is almost unfair."

The Commander cruelly laughed at that and answered. "Yes, Sten said it as well." In tone that sent a chilling sensation through a spine of Qunari.

"I don't tolerate exactly one sort of attack. At HER. So I will make it as a lesson for you to beat it into your thick skull." The Warden declared icily and slowly unsheated his heavily enchanted sword Starfang advancing forward to Iron Bull.

Qunari swung his two-handed axe in a vicious arc but the Commander ducked beneath it. Unfortunately for him, a sharp protrusion on axe got stuck in his loose-fitting sweater and tore it off him completely. The crowd fell completely silent when they took a good look on a bare-chested man before them. His upper body was completely marred with ountless numbers of scars. Cassandra and Aria stared wide-eyed at two particularly large ones on his right shoulder blade that resembled marks of enormous fangs.

_The marks from Archdemon Urthemiel. _

The Warden Commander didn't cease his attack though. When he ducked, he rotated around his axis with an enormous speed behind Qunari torso, turned his blade to its flat side, and with an incredible strength hit the mercenary to the back of his shins. He broke at least one of them and caused a one-eyed warrior to collapse on his back.

The Warden Commander lifted his sword above his head and all in the arena held their breath. With an unnatural strength, he thrust Starfang next to a Bull's neck through a silverite part of his neck protector to the stone ground to the hilt.

The fight was over in ten seconds.

Everybody stared in awe as one of the strongest individuals in Thedas was defeated with relative ease by their commanding officer. The man in question slowly redressed himself and silently departed a dead silent arena. Leliana followed him right away and gently took his hand in hers. They exited through the gate together.

The Inquisitor furiously walked into the ring to assess a situation. She sent for a healer when she noticed Bull's left leg and muttered. "Idiot."

Cassandra scolded Sera then came beside Aria to the lying mercenary. Oghren joined them as well. The dwarf leaned over the Qunari giant and delivered seriously. "You are lucky that it was Commander you were fighting with. In Orzammar, they would feed you to the darkspawn for such an insult to your superior officer."

"Commander is a great man. He saved your sorry asses and asked nothing in return. And this is how you repay him? I would kill you myself but it is his decision." Oghren turned to leave but stopped and claimed. "And FYI when he said Sten, he actually meant Arishok."

Oghren turned and left the stunned mercenary and the ashamed elf to ponder his words. They didn't have much time to do that before Aria and Cassandra tore into them.

When Vivienne arrived, they found out that they weren't able to lift Iron Bull up. Commander's sword pinned the huge Qunari to the ground. No one was able to pull his sword out. They had to call a smith who then slit through the neck protector of Qunari and freed him.

-ooo-

The following day, three ladies with Oghren sat at the round table in the war room. The Inquisitor and the Seeker were a little nervous about a reaction from the Commander to the incident in the arena. Leliana assured them that he didn't bear any ill will towards them. He would join them later, the Warden had some business with Commander Cullen in barracks.

Aria cleared her throat and spoke. "Leliana, I am sorry about what happened yesterday. I should have realized that those two idiots were up to something and cut it off."

The Orlesian beauty smiled at her and stated. "You don't have to apologize for the actions of others. Besides, you have come a long way since a moment we first met. He is in agreement with me in this."

The Inquisitor fidgeted awkwardly in her seat at the praise but Cassandra nodded resolutely and added. "Indeed. Your lectures with Warden Commander are paying off."

Oghren was playing with Legion but added his opinion. "Aye, he has a gift from Ancestors. I remember when we met. He took a drunkard from Orzammar and after he was done with me, I ended up as a general of the human army in Ferelden."

"So you don't hold your yesterday defeat against him?" Leliana teasingly inquired while Legion barked mockingly at dwarf.

Oghren chortled heartily. "No lass, I don't. Besides it showed me that he cares. He had promised me before I married Felsi that he would ensure I remain faithful to my wife. Well, you saw results of that promise yesterday."

Three women around him were laughing merrily with him at that for some time before they started to discuss more serious matters.

After some time the Nevarran Seeker seriously asked. "Leliana, that scars he has on his body, are th…?"

Oghren interrupted her. "You bet your cute ass that they are from the Archdemon. I envy him that. Dwarven wenches dug scars." Then he looked thoughtful for a moment and turned to Leliana in question. "Though from what I saw, he has many more now then during the Blight."

Leliana explained with a pained expression. "Yes, the new smaller ones are from his capture in Anderfelds when Corypheus was trying to break him." She carried on. "The longest ones on his shoulder blade are from our fight with the Old God. The Archdemon managed to catch Allistair in its maw, but my beloved suceeded in pulling him out, before the dragon could finish him off. During it, he almost lost his arm."

Oghren stated thoughtfully. "You would know something about scars, wouldn't you, lass?"

"Actually, I have scars no more. After my dearest one healed me in Redcliffe, they disappeared." Orlesian responded with a pointed look at him that indicated that this discussion was out of the question in public.

Oghren nodded in understanding and whistled loudly. "That had to be extremely powerful spell to perform such a feat."

Leliana smirked slightly. "You have no idea."

They were interrupted when inside walked the Commander of the Grey and settled down to the round table next to Leliana.

He greeted. "Ladies. Oghren." They nodded in acknowledgement.

The Warden continued. " I have just ended my discussion with Commander Cullen. He assured me that the convoy and its armed escort will be prepared in three days for relocation to Skyhold."

The Seeker remarked. "That's excellent news. We have done what we could in Ferelden. Now, it is time to take the fight further into an enemy territory."

The Inquisitor interjected. "Cullen can coordinate his efforts with agent Harding, Corporal Rosslin and Masters of individual guilds to transfer our funds, supplies and resources more smoothly."

"All right. I am out of here before they pack barrels of ale." Oghren announced and left. Trio of women slightly chuckled at that.

However the Warden Commander was pensively observing the Inquisitor in front of him. Ladies around him quickly picked up on it and silence spread around the table.

The Inquisitor couldn't contain herself any longer and asked. "What?"

Everybody focused in anticipation on the Warden. He actually smiled. "You have come a long way since the moment I met you in the castle. You are ready to lead the Inquisition against the Elder One."

The Inquisitor's cheeks coloured slightly at his praise but he kept on and dropped the bomb. "That is why I am resigning as the leading commander of the Inquisition."

Three women were staring at him in stunned silence but he wasn't done. "You were chosen by the Maker to lead this organization and restore the order in Thedas. Now you have skills, wisdom, trusted advisors and resources to do it."

Aria almost inaudibly whispered back to him. "I am not ready."

He looked thoughtfully at her as if he was remembering something and went on. "You are on the right path. You have got to believe in yourself. You have got to believe in your abilities. Unquestionably."

She still objected. "I need you and your lectures, Commander."

He answered. "And I will be here as long as she will."He pointed at Leliana and progressed. "However only as a spectre behind the throne and your mentor." He paused and added. "Key decisions from now on are yours and your advisors. You have to determine a direction of the Inquisition."

Cassandra interjected. "Warden Commander, you have a vast experience, it would be sha.."

He stopped her and shook his head. "There can be only one leader to make decisions. Aria Trevelyan was chosen to do this. You asked me for your help when the Inquisition was in a deep shit and I provided it. I will be there when you or Aria need a consultation or an advice but in the end you are doing decisions not me."

He paused to emphasize his point and added. "Besides, do you remember when we talked about my help? What my priority truly has been? Well, that hasn't changed."

The Inquisitor and the Seeker begrudgingly nodded knowing that they had already lost their argument, while Leliana was observing the situation in confusion. She realized she was missing a few pieces of puzzle to solve that problem.

The Warden softened his tone. "I wouldn't do this if I wasn't confident that you would handle it. With help from your advisors. you will lead the Inquisition, and you will lead it to the victory against the Elder One.

He chuckled. "Besides, my father once said."

"The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.

"I can attest to that."

"Now, you are the symbol. The single spark of hope." With that the Warden ended the discussion.

-ooo-


	13. TOGETHER FOREVER

Hello,

this is a short chapter as promised.

I appreciate and thank everyone who took time and left me review or just fave me here.

Enjoy this brief epilogue and possibly follow-up to the incoming game and maybe we will se each other in DAI. :D Probably not.

-ooo-

Leliana and her beloved were watching the exodus of the Inquisition from Haven from the highest hill in the mountains. Hundreds of people with dozens of carts were slowly fading into the distance.

She slowly turned to her lover and took his hands in hers. The Orlesian beauty had his full attention.

"So I had a very interesting conversation with Cassandra concerning your priorities?" She teased him.

"Have you now?" He responded, slightly rubbing her cold hands in his to warm them up.

She leaned forward and kissed him sensually.

Then she changed a tone of her voice. She sounded vulnerably. "Have you ever thought about settling down after this war is over? Build a house, start a family and raise kids in a circle of friends?"

He smiled at her. "I had been thinking about that even before we ended the Blight, Lily. Nothing would make me more happy than spend the rest of my life with you. You are so special to me."

She blinked back her tears and kissed him sweetly once again and whispered to his ear. "I love you so much. I think that after we vanquish this threat, it will be the best time to do it, no?"

He embraced her gently around her waist and raised her a little to the air. She leaned down and started kissing him in small bursts to which he eagerly responded.

He then delicately put her down and whispered. "One more adventure."

Leliana silently agreed. "One more adventure." She took his hand in hers and gently intertwined them. Both were gracefully walking down the hill, following the convoy and slowly fading from sight.

-ooo-


End file.
